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THE CHANCELLORSVILLE 
CAMPAIGN 



The Chancellorsville 
Campaign 

Fredericksburg to Salem Church 



BY 

CHARLES RICHARDSON 



New York and Washington 

THE NEALE PUBLISHING COMPANY 

1907 






ItiBRARYofCONeRESS 



Two Cooie? Received 

APR n 1907 



■ ji Copyright Entry ^ 
ilOLAS? A XXc., N&. 



Copyright, 1907, by 
THE NEALE PUBLISHING COMPANY 



To 

THE SOLDIERS OF THOSE TWO ARMIES 
V/HO m MANLY CONTEST AMIDST THE 
FIRE OF BATTLE WROUGHT FOR THEM- 
SELVES IMMORTALITY. 



BRAVE MEN MADE THE HISTORY; NO 
EMBELLISHMENT IS NECESSARY TO GIVE 
IT LUSTER. 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Feedeeicksburg 9 

The Field of Battle 14 

Feedeeicksburg to Salem Chuech . . 20 

Abstracts of Efforts 56 



FREDERICKSBUEG 

^'Glorious things are spoken of thee. ^'—Psalms. 

If you travel the globe over, wher- 
ever you meet an educated man, 
whether in Europe, Asia, or Africa, 
and of course in America, just mention 
Fredericksburg and instantly his 
countenance will beam with a light 
that speaks thus, ''Yes, I know of 
Fredericksburg, where Lee and Jack- 
son fought. ' ' 

Did sharp competition, now so rife, 
stop the wheels of every factory and 
close every store in Fredericksburg; 
did contagion spring forth — which is 
not likely in so healthy a town — and 
destroy the population, which may 
God avert, yet and ever, while the 
world is peopled, men, and women, too, 
will come to Fredericksburg, the rich- 

9 



10 Chancellor sville Campaign 

est field in great events on the earth's 
surface. 

Our historians tell us that in the 
year 1608 Capt. John Smith came up 
the Eappahannock in a boat, with 
twelve other white men and an Indian 
guide, to the falls near where Freder- 
icksburg was subsequently built. But 
even at so early a day the ground was 
difficult of access to a foe ; the Rappa- 
hannock Indians, courageous and for- 
midable, fearless of the daring adven- 
turers ' matchlocks, with their bows 
and arrows drove off the doughty Cap- 
tain and his crew, who retired down 
the river, somewhat disconcerted. 

Fredericksburg, named for Prince 
Frederick, son of George II, King of 
England, was founded in 1727. Col. 
William Byrd, visiting the place in 
1782, says, ''I was obliged to rise early 
here, that I might not starve my land- 
lord, whose constitution requires him 
to swallow a beefsteak before the Sun 
blesses the World with his genial rays. 
However, he was so complaisant as to 



FredericJcshurg 11 

bear tlie gnawing of Ms stomach, till 
eight o'clock for my sake. Colonel 
Waller, after a score of loud hem's to 
clear his throat, broke his fast along 
with ns. When this necessary affair 
was dispatched, Col. (Henry) Willis 
walked me about his town of Freder- 
icksburg. Though this be a commodi- 
ous and beautiful situation for a town, 
with the advantages of a navigable 
river, and wholesome air, yet the in- 
habitants are very few. Besides 
Colonel Willis, who is the top man of 
the place, there are only one merchant, 
a tailor, and an Ordinary Keeper; 
though I must not forget Mrs. Levis- 
tone, who acts here in the double ca- 
pacity of doctress and coffee woman; 
and were this a populous City, she is 
qualified to exercise two other callings. 
It is said the Courthouse and the 
Church are going to be built here, and 
then both religion and justice will help 
to enlighten the place." Colonel 
Byrd's prediction has been happily 
verified. 



12 Chancellorsville Campaign 

The town lies along the south bank of 
the Eappahannock, its head (northern 
extremity) resting on the hillside and 
smiling at the village of Falmouth, 
just across the river; stretching south 
a mile and a half, it laves its foot in 
the Hazel behind the elegant home- 
stead Hazel Hill. 

The streets intersect each other at 
right angles. Caroline (commonly 
called Main) street is the principal 
thoroughfare, along which are the 
merchants ' shops ; it runs north and 
south from end to end of the town. 
Princess Anne is the next parallel 
street west of Caroline, then come 
Charles, Prince Edward, etc. The in- 
tersecting streets requiring mention 
here are William (better known as 
Commerce) street, which commences 
at the head of the bridge which crosses 
the Eappahannock to the Lacy House, 
and runs west to the boundary of the 
town, where it merges into the Orange 
Plank road leading to Chancellors- 
ville. George, Hanover, Charlotte, 



Frederichshurg 13 

Wolfe, and Prussia are the successive 
parallel streets, the last named pass- 
ing the depot of the Eichmond and 
Fredericksburg Kailroad and out to- 
ward Willis Hill. 



THE FIELD OF BATTLE 

In prolongation of William (Com- 
merce) street the Orange Plank road 
extends westward, dipping gradually 
to tlie mill sluice, and then running 
straight three-fourths of a mile, to 
the first range of hills, which it 
climbs by an easy grade. If we pause 
here on top of the hill and face to 
the right (north) we see Stansbury's 
house, a mile away; half a mile 
beyond it is Dr. Taylor's, where the 
ridge ends — lifting its brow fifty feet 
above the Eappahannock. The river 
flowing from northwest curves around 
the bluff on which Dr. Taylor's house 
stands conspicuous, looking over 
Beck's Island at Falmouth, a mile dis- 
tant, and, in a military sense, com- 
mands the Heights and Valley, as far 

14 



The Field of Battle , 15 

as a cannon-shot would reach. Banks' 
Ford is two miles up the river from 
Dr. Taylor's. 

Now if we face about and look south 
we see the stately Marye mansion, 
three hundred yards away. The ridge 
in that direction is cut, a hundred 
yards beyond the house, by a weather- 
worn rift dividing Marye 's from Wil- 
lis Hill— named after the original 
owner and first occupant. Col. Henry 
"Willis, whose remains lie buried in the 
little walled graveyard situated about 
midway of the hill. Three hundred 
yards south of the graveyard the ridge 
stops, the shoulder of the hill looming 
boldly above the valley of the Hazel. 

Two hundred and forty yards south 
of William (Commerce) street, and 
running parallel with it, is Hanover 
street. Where it leaves the town it is 
called the Telegraph road, and leads 
direct to Marye 's Heights, where, 
turning south, it cuts its way through 
the foot of the ridge for half a mile, 
acquiring the nom de guerre ^'Sunken 



16 Chancellor sville Campaign 

road"; curving around the salient of 
Willis Hill, it crosses Hazel Kun and 
climbs, wearily, Lee's* Hill, then 
pursues its course southwestward, 
passing &ve hundred yards in rear of 
Howison's house, which nestles 
against the southern slope of the ridge 
— a mile from Fredericksburg (as the 
crow flies). A mile farther down the' 
road we come to Cox's house, thence \ 
away four miles south is Hamilton's \ 
Crossing. 

Eeturning, if we halt and face to the 
front on Lee's Hill, as the eye scans 
the prospect, to the left we see half 
of Fredericksburg, whose southern 
limit is defined by the Hazel, which, in 
wearing its way through the hummock 
to unite with the Eappahannock, gives 
the vertex its name — Hazel Hill. In 
a straight line to the right, nine hun- 
dred yards from Hazel Hill, is Ferney- 
hough's, fronting on the Bowling 
Green road. Another half-mile in the 
same direction is the gorge called Deep 

♦Where General Lee stood in the battle, Dec. 13, 1862. 



The Field of Battle 17 

Bottom on Bernard's Farm, adjoin- 
ing which is Mansfield (where General 
Franklin's headquarters were in the 
battle of December 13, 1862), and 
where were the bridge-heads of the 
pontoons over which General Sedg- 
wick's forces crossed to the attack. 

A mile southwest of Deep Bottom 
the Bowling Green road forks, its left 
branch coursing toward Richmond ; its 
right, called the Mine road, bearing 
west, intersects the Richmond and 
Fredericksburg Railroad at a point 
four miles from Fredericksburg 
called ^^ Hamilton's Crossing," where 
the extreme right of General Early's 
line rested. 

The plateau between the Bowling 
Green road and the foot of the ridge, 
on which is Lee's Hill, is open and for 
the most part level, cut in half by the 
Richmond and Fredericksburg Rail- 
road, and gashed in places by shallow 
streams and fissures. 

Returning now to the Orange Plank 
road at the point whence we started 



18 Chancellorsville Campaign 

for our excursion on the Telegraph 
road, and facing northwest, we follow 
the road through open fields, dipping a 
mile onward to cross a tributary of the 
Hazel, which, welling on Stansbury's 
farm, disgorges into the Hazel behind 
Marye's Hill. 

Mounting the next slope, an extend- 
ed plateau opens to view, clear on the 
left, but fringed on its right for more 
than a mile by thick woods, which ex- 
tend back (north) to Stansbury's and 
Dr. Taylor's. We see Guest's house — 
two miles from Fredericksburg — on 
the left, standing midway between the 
road and the brow of the hill, overlook- 
ing the valley of the Hazel. Half a 
mile beyond Guest's, northwest, is 
Downman's, isolated by a narrow but 
deep valley, through which another 
tributary of the Hazel flows from near 
the Toll Gate. (N. B.— General Howe 
and his staff lodged in the Downman 
house the night of May 3, 1863.) 

It is a mile from Guest's house to 
the Toll Gate, and a mile farther to Sa- 



The Field of Battle 19 

lem Heights. The intervening country 
is open and undulating, but en- 
croached upon by ravines, some of 
which cross the Orange Plank road. 



FEEDERICKSBURG TO SALEM 
CHURCH 

The Army of Northern Virginia 
had lain all winter upon the bleak hills 
of Spottsylvania, in rear of Freder- 
icksburg. Scantily clad were these men 
and poorly sheltered, yet warmed by 
the inextinguishable fire that glowed 
in their breasts, they patiently en- 
dured the many snows and rains that 
fell upon them. 

"Headquarters, 
"Army of Northern Virginia, 

"March 27, 1863. 
* ^ To the Honorable James A. Seddon, 
Secretary of War: 
"The troops of my army have for 
some time been confined to reduced 
rations. 

"Each regiment is directed to send 
a daily detail to gather sassafras buds, 

20 



To Salem Church 21 

wild onions, garlic, lamb 's quarter and 
poke sprouts, but the supply obtained 
is very small. 

' ' The men are cheerful and I receive 
but few complaints. 

^^E. E.Lee, General.'' 

Endorsed: ^^ Referred to Commis- 
sary General for consideration and re- 
port. 

*'J. A. Seddon, 
* * Secretary of War. ' ' 

*' Respectfully referred to the Secre- 
tary of War. 

' ' The appearance of the men in Gen- 
eral Lee's army and their health con- 
firms the opinion of Dr. Cartwright as 
to diminishing the ration, and it is rec- 
ommended that the bacon and pork ra- 
tion be accordingly reduced to one- 
fourth of a pound throughout the 
army. 

^^L. B. NOKTHROP, 

** Commissary General of Subsis- 
tence." 



22 Chancellorsville Campaign 

On the morning of April 29, 1863, 
we (the Confederates) were aroused 
from our repose by a sudden and brisk 
fire of musketry and artillery, occur- 
ring in the rear of Bernard's Farm. 

A dense fog hung over the Eappa- 
hannock and the fields, obscuring the 
view, but we soon learned from our 
pickets that a body of the enemy had 
made a sudden dash across the river 
in pontoon boats and effected a lodg- 
ment near the mouth of Deep Eun, on 
Bernard's Farm, about two miles be- 
low Fredericksburg. Two pontoon 
bridges were soon thrown, and a large 
force under General John Sedgwick 
crossed, menacing the right of our 
army. 

During the day (29th) General Lee 
received intelligence from General 
Stuart that a large body of Union in- 
fantry and artillery was marching up 
the north side of the Eappahannock 
Eiver. ^^ Later in the day it was 
learned that General Hooker, with the 
main body of his army, had passed 



To Salem Church 23 

the river and lodged in the woods near 
Chancellorsville. ' ' 

It was now (30th) apparent to Gen- 
eral Lee, ^^considering the inactivity 
of the enemy confronting us at Fred- 
ericksburg, that the main attack would 
be made against our left flank and 
rear.'' He ^^ therefore determined to 
leave sufficient troops to hold our lines 
near Fredericksburg and with the 
main body of the army to give battle 
to the approaching columns under 
General Hooker." 

Leaving General Early's division 
(four brigades) of Jackson's corps, 
and General Barksdale's brigade (of 
McLaws's division) and a number of 
batteries under General Pendleton to 
observe General Sedgwick, at mid- 
night of the 30th General McLaws 
marched with the rest of his command 
toward Chancellorsville, and was fol- 
lowed at dawn next morning (May 1) 
by General Jackson's corps, with the 
exception of General Early's division. 

General Early had a long line to 



24 Chancellorsville Campaign 

protect, extending from the foot of 
Taylor's Hill, opposite Falmouth, to 
Hamilton's Crossing, more than six 
miles. He posted four brigades of his 
division (Hays, Smith, Hoke, Gordon) 
along the ridge from Howison 's house 
to Hamilton's Crossing, and covered 
his front from Dr. Taylor's to Howi- 
son 's — embracing Fredericksburg — 
with Barksdale's brigade of four regi- 
ments, acting as pickets. 

Eight guns were placed in earth- 
works on the crest of the heights in 
rear of Fredericksburg, to command 
the roads leading out of the town and 
the intervening ground. Lieutenant 
J. Thompson Brown, of Parker's Vir- 
ginia battery, with his section and two 
ten-pounder Parrotts, occupied the 
pits on the shoulder of Willis Hill; 
next on his left, immediately in front 
of the old Willis burying-ground, was 
Captain Squires, of the Washington 
Artillery, with two three-inch rifles. 
Two guns of the Washington Artil- 
lery, under Lieutenant Hero, to the 



To Salem Church 25 

left of the Marye house (between the 
Telegraph road and Plank road), and 
two of the Washington Artillery, un- 
der Lieutenant Apps, to the left and 
near the Plank road. On Lee's Hill, 
six hundred yards in rear of Willis 
Hill, was Fraser's Georgia battery, 
four guns, and on the ridge back of 
Howison's, Patterson (Georgia), with 
three guns, ''in all, on both fronts, fif- 
teen guns, while twenty-two, including 
the heaviest, were marching to the 
rear, and eleven others were waiting 
orders to march in the same direc- 
tion. '^ (General Pendleton's report.) 
Carlton's Georgia battery, after being 
withdrawn from its position night of 
May 2, was recalled to occupy the 
original post in rear of Howison's, 
and actively participated in the battle 
of May 3. 

At this time Wilcox's brigade, five 
regiments, and two batteries of artil- 
lery (Lewis's Virginia, Lieutenant 
Penick; and Huger's Virginia, Cap- 
tain Moore), lay along the Eiver road. 



26 Chancellorsville Campaign 

covering Banks ' Ford, the head of the 
column reaching near Dr. Taylor's. 

From day to day General Sedgwick 
threateningly deployed his skirmish- 
ers, opened his artillery, and dis- 
played his glittering infantry to incite 
General Early to exhibit his strength, 
but General Early was neither 
alarmed nor provoked by these dem- 
onstrations; he kept in the shade of 
the woods, while his men smoked their 
pipes and enjoyed the show. 

But General Sedgwick had serious 
work to do, and it is presumable that 
he was not a little perplexed by Gen- 
eral Early's dogged quietude; his ob- 
jective was the rear of General Lee's 
army at Chancellorsville, and he knew 
that General Hooker anxiously ex- 
pected him. At eleven o'clock the 
night of May 2 he received an order 
from General Hooker directing him to 
''move immediately in the direction of 
Chancellorsville, until he connected 
with the major-general commanding; 
to attack and destroy any force on the 



To Salem Church 27 

road, and be in the vicinity of the Gen- 
eral at daylight. ' ' 

^'I commenced, therefore, to move 
by the flank in the direction of Fred- 
ericksburg, on the Bowling Green 
road" (says General Sedgwick), 
^ ^ General Newton taking the advance, 
followed by the Light Brigade (Colo- 
nel Burnham) and Howe's division. I 
was ordered to take up all the bridges 
at Franklin's Crossing and below, be- 
fore daylight, which was done under 
direction of General Benham." 

General Barksdale gave prompt no- 
tice to General Early of the activity of 
the enemy, and was called in and his 
brigade disposed as follows, viz: 
Seven companies of the Twenty-first 
Mississippi, Colonel Humphreys, were 
posted in the road at the foot of 
Marye's Hill, their left extending to 
the Orange Plank road ; on their right 
the Eighteenth Mississippi, Colonel 
Griffin, and three companies of the 
Twenty-first Mississippi prolonged 
the line, extending down the Tele- 



28 Chancellor sville Campaign 

graph road (at the foot of Willis Hill) 
to Hazel Eun. The Seventeenth Mis- 
sissippi, Colonel Holder, covered 
Lee 's Hill with the Thirteenth Missis- 
sippi. Colonel Carter on the right ex- 
tended in the direction of Howison's. 
A regiment of Hays's brigade was 
stationed on the right of the Thir- 
teenth Mississippi to cover the bat- 
teries on Howison's Hill. 

At dawn (third) General Wheaton's 
brigade of Newton's division entered 
Fredericksburg and immediately 
moved into position on the first ridge 
back of the town, near where the two 
railroads diverge, cutting their way 
through the hillock. General Wliea- 
ton threw forward the Sixty-second 
New York Eegiment ^^to learn some- 
thing of the nature of the defenses, 
etc., of the enemy; the regiment ad- 
vanced within two hundred and fifty 
yards of the heights (Willis Hill), 
when it was opened upon by a heavy 
fire of musketry and artillery. Hav- 
ing in a few seconds lost sixty-four 



To Salem Church 29 

officers and men, it fell back; thirty 
musket-balls pierced its flag'' (show- 
ing that the Mississippians knew how 
to shoot). 

General Sedgwick then put his bat- 
teries in position ^^to shell the enemy 
until the troops could be formed for 
another attack," McCarthy's, Harn's, 
and Butler's eighteen guns on the 
hills, near the railroads, behind Whea- 
ton's brigade, and Cowan's six guns 
in front of Ferneyhough's house (just 
south of the Hazel). These twenty- 
four cannon poured a terrible fire of 
shell and shrapnel upon Brown and 
Squires. ^'The practice was excel- 
lent," says Colonel Tompkins, Gen- 
eral Sedgwick's chief of artillery, as 
well it might be. Brown and Squires 
returned no reply; their orders were 
to reserve their fire solely for the in- 
fantry. Undaunted, they stood amidst 
the iron hail, awaiting the opportune 
moment. 



30 Chancellor sville Campaign 

GIBBON CROSSES INTO rKEDERICKSBUEG 

A pontoon bridge having been 
thrown across the Eappahannock near 
the Lacy house about 6.30 a. m., two 
brigades of Gibbon's division — Hall's 
and Laflin's — accompanied by two 
batteries of artillery — Adams's and 
Brown's Ehode Island — crossed into 
the town and rested on Princess Anne 
street. 

About eight o'clock a column of 
white smoke rose from the hill in Staf- 
ford, where the Eichmond, Freder- 
icksburg and Potomac Eailroad cuts 
through (near north end of bridge) ; 
another column of smoke went up 
from near the church at Falmouth; 
these were signals immediately re- 
sponded to by the enemy's artillery 
in Falmouth, hitherto concealed from 
our view. They opened a brisk fire 
on Dr. Taylor's Hill, where were 
two guns (Cobbs's) of Wilcox's artil- 
lery. Simultaneously, Hall's and Laf- 
lin's brigades moved up the street and 



To Salem Church 31 

debouched upon the plain north of the 
town, with the object to turn out left 
and seize Taylor's and Stansbury's 
hills. Wilcox's artillery, on Taylor's 
Hill, fired upon them. Lieutenant 
Hero, of the Washington Artillery, 
drew out his gun from the earthwork 
near the Plank road and, galloping up 
the ridge, opened upon the enemy. 
Then came two more guns from Lee's 
Hill, and whirled into battery, accom- 
panied by four regiments of Hays's 
brigade, double-quicking, sent by Gen- 
eral Early to disconcert General Gib- 
bon. Filing into line at the foot of 
Stansbury's Hill, the Louisianians 
peppered Hall and Laflin, who lost 
eighty-one men in a very short time. 
Brown's Ehode Island battery took 
position and opened fire close by the 
Mary Washington Monument, but the 
shades of that good woman did not 
protect them. They retired, after los- 
ing twenty-three officers and men. 

Checked and dismayed, Gibbon 
turned back into the town. 



32 Chancellor sville Campaign 



SEDGWICK PREPAEES FOE CONCEBTED AT- 
TACK 01^ maeye's and lee's hills 



General Sedgwick was a soldier of 
indomitable determination ; reverses 
did not subdue Ms strong will. He 
formed in the town, from Newton's 
division, three ^^ storming columns of 
two regiments each, and a line of bat- 
tle of four regiments to assault 
Marye's Heights in front,'' and or- 
dered General Howe, who was on the 
south side of the Hazel, to advance at 
the same time his two brigades ; while 
Brooks, on the Bowling Green road, in 
front of Bernard's, threatened the 
right of our small force on Lee's and 
Howison's hills, thereby engaging the 
attention of Gordon and Hoke. 



the battle of m arye \s and lee 's hills 



At eleven o'clock ^ve batteries — 
thirty cannon — opened fire upon 
Marye's and Lee's hills, while out of 



To Salem Church ^ 33 

Commerce street and Hanover and 
.Wolf streets Newton's dark columns 
poured at the double-quick, with bayo- 
nets fixed, and orders not to fire. They 
came like a storm cloud driven by the 
wind, ^YQ thousand sturdy men 
against our thin line in the road at the 
foot of the heights. They were only 
seven hundred men, but they were 
Barksdale's Mississippians, and be- 
hind them on the hills were only eight 
guns ; and now they gave tongue, hurl- 
ing solid shot and grape, shrapnel and 
canister, everything they had in store, 
tearing wide gaps in the advancing 
lines, plowing deep gashes in their 
thick columns, while the intrepid Mis- 
sissippians plied their task industri- 
ously. Eleven hundred and nine of 
the dashing Union soldiers fell, killed 
or wounded, but those remaining un- 
hurt closed up and pushed forward, 
carrying the heights and capturing the 
guns and two hundred of the Missis- 
sippians. 
Meantime, nine regiments (four 



34: Chancellor sville Campaign 

thousand men), Howe^s brigade, run- 
ning across the fields and up in the 
mouth of the Hazel Valley, between 
Willis's and Lee's hills, overpowered 
the small force on Lee's and Howi- 
son's hills. There were but three reg- 
iments (two of Barksdale's and one 
of Hays's, and two batteries). They 
fell back and formed line across the 
Telegraph road behind Howison's, 
near Cox's, and checked Howe's men, 
who presently withdrew to Marye's 
Hill and followed Brooks's division, 
that at this time (one o'clock) had 
come up through Fredericksburg and 
was marching on the Orange Plank 
road toward Chancellorsville. 



BEOOKS IS CHECKED BY WILCOX 

When General Brooks reached the 
summit of the second eminence on the 
Orange Plank road, the country being 
open, he formed his division (on 
Guest's farm, two miles from Freder- 



To Salem Church 35 

icksburg) in column of brigade fronts, 
with extended line of skirmishers on 
the front and flanks, in advance, and 
his artillery on the road, which dispo- 
sition prepared him to fight the enemy 
as soon as he was seen. 

"The formation was hardly com- 
pleted when he received the fire of 
two cannon'' (they were Lieutenant 
Cobbs's guns of the Lewis-Penick's 
battery, serving with Wilcox). 

General Wilcox had hastened from 
Taylor's Hill to aid General Barks- 
dale in defending Marye's Heights, 
but, unable to reach him in time, threw 
his brigade across the Orange Plank 
road, near the Toll Gate, deployed his 
skirmishers, and opened his artillery 
on Brooks. (''These two pieces of ar- 
tillery checked the advance a great 
deal," says General G. K. Warren, 
chief of engineers.) 

''Several discharges were fired by 
the enemy from his artillery, one of 
which shots struck down Captain 
Eead, A. A. G. of this division, and 



36 Chancellor sville Campaign 

killed a sergeant of Eigby's battery/' 
says General Brooks. 

^^A section of artillery occupied 
every successive crest upon our line 
of march, and much annoyed our ad- 
vance/' says General John Sedgwick. 

^^The fire of these two guns 
(Cobbs's) held the enemy in check 
some time, ' ' says General Wilcox. 

At length General Brooks brought 
up a battery (Eigby's six guns) and 
opened upon Wilcox, then slowly ad- 
vanced his solid lines. 

^^My command then moved back to 
Salem Heights," says General Wil- 
cox, ' ^ and formed line of battle across 
the Orange Plank road at right angles 
with it; the Eleventh and Fourteenth 
Alabama regiments were on the left 
of the road, the Tenth Alabama on the 
right, next to the road, the Eighth 
Alabama on the right of the Tenth. 
There was an interval of seventy-five 
or eighty yards between the left of the 
Tenth and the right of the Eleventh. 
In this interval of the road four pieces 



To Salem Church 37 

of artillery (Lieutenant Penick, 
Lewis's battery) were in position. The 
Ninth Alabama Eegiment was posted 
in rear of the Tenth Alabama.'' 

The ground in front of Salem 
Heights for a considerable space was 
open; the heights were covered with 
a thick wood extending right and left 
several miles. Where our line was 
formed the wood from front to rear 
was about two hundred and fifty 
yards deep. General Wilcox aligned 
his brigade abreast of the church, in 
the rear verge of the wood; his skir- 
mishers were in front of the wood, 
watching the enemy, who was forming 
near the Toll Gate, a mile distant. 



GENERAL BROOKS 's ORDER OF BATTLE 



Bartlett's (second) brigade, on the 
left of the Orange Plank road, in the 
following formation, viz.: From left 
to right, Fifth Maine, Ninety-sixth 
Pennsylvania, One Hundred and 
Twenty-first New York, Twenty-third 



38 Chancellor sville Campaign 

New Jersey, with the Sixteenth New 
York in rear of Twenty-third New 
Jersey. 

First Brigade (Colonel B. W. 
Brown), First New Jersey, Third New 
Jersey, Fifteenth New Jersey, Ninety- 
fifth Pennsylvania, and One Hundred 
and Nineteenth Pennsylvania on the 
right of the road. 

General Wheaton, of Newton's di- 
vision, Ninety-third, One Hundred 
and Second and One Hundred and 
Thirty-ninth Pennsylvania regiments, 
on the right of the One Hundred and 
Nineteenth Pennsylvania. 

A field battery near the Toll Gate 
opened a brisk fire of shell upon our 
battery in the road near the church,, 
and threw shells to the right and left 
of the church, endeavoring to reach 
our infantry in the woods, but no cas- 
ualties resulted from the explosions 
of the shells. The enemy's artillery 
ceased firing about ^yq o'clock p. m. 



To Salem Church 39 



BATTLE OF SALEM HEIGHTS 

About ^\e o'clock, Major-General 
McLaws arrived from Chancellors- 
ville with four brigades. He posted 
them as follows: Kershaw on the 
right of Wilcox, and Wofford on the 
right of Kershaw ; Semmes on the left 
of the Fourteenth Alabama (Wilcox's 
brigade), and Mahone on the left of 
Semmes. 

About 5.30 o'clock, ^^ before my 
command was well in position," says 
General McLaws, ^Hhe enemy ad- 
vanced, driving our skirmishers and 
coming forward with loud shouts, en- 
deavoring to force the center (Wil- 
cox) and left center (Semmes), ex- 
tending the attack somewhat to Ma- 
hone's brigade. One of Wilcox's regi- 
ments gave way, and, with the skir- 
mishers running back, created a little 
confusion. But General Wilcox him- 
self soon corrected this." 

*^When the front line of the enemy 



40 CJiancellorsville Campaign 

reached the woods," says General 
Wilcox, ^ ' they made a slight halt, then 
giving three cheers, they came on with 
a rush, driving our skirmishers rap- 
idly before them. Our men held their 
fire till their men (the enemy) came 
within less than eighty yards, and 
then delivered a close and terrible fire 
upon them, killing and wounding many 
and causing many to waver and give 
way. 

*^The enemy still pressed on, sur- 
rounded the schoolhouse (thirty paces 
south of the church) and captured an 
entire company of the Ninth Alabama 
stationed in it, and pressing hard 
upon the regiment in rear of the 
schoolhouse threw it into confusion 
and disorder." General Wilcox gal- 
loped out, rallied his men, and made 
them lie down. Four Minie balls 
pierced his uniform and the equip- 
ment of his horse while he was thus 
engaged. 

* * The Ninth Alabama, in rear of this 
(the Tenth) regiment, sprang forward 



To Salem Church 41 

as one man, and with the rapidity of 
lightning restored the continuity of 
our line, breaking the lines of the en- 
emy by its deadly fire and forced him 
to give way, and following him so that 
he could not rally, retook the school- 
house, freed the captured company, 
and, in turn, took their captors. 

^^The entire line of the enemy on 
the right of the road (Bartlett's bri- 
gade) was repulsed, and our men fol- 
lowed in rapid pursuit. The regiment 
that had given way to the first onset 
of the enemy now returned to the at- 
tack and joined in pursuit. 

* ^ Thus ended the spirited conflict at 
Salem Church. The success, so bril- 
liant for our men, was dearly earned 
by the sacrifice of the lives of seventy- 
five of the noble sons of Alabama and 
the wounding of three hundred and 
seventy-two. 

*'I now," continues General Mc- 
Laws, *' strengthened the left of Ma- 
hone's, which was strongly threatened, 
with two regiments from Woiford's 



42 ChancellorsviUe Campaign 

brigade on the right, and closed Gen- 
eral Kershaw to the left, strengthen- 
ing the center, supposing that the at- 
tack would be renewed; but no other 
assault was attempted, and as night 
drew on the firing ceased on both 
sides/' 

General Semmes, in his report of 
the battle, says : ' ' This battle was one 
of the most severely contested of the 
war. Every regiment of the (my) 
brigade came up to the full measure 
of duty; the loss of the brigade was 
severe." (Report of casualties is in- 
cluded in losses at ChancellorsviUe.) 

Now hear the gallant foe speak — 
the brave are ever truthful ! 

*^I was ordered to push forward 
through the woods and engage the en- 
emy. The regiment marched steadily 
to within fifty yards of the opening, 
when it was assailed by a heavy fire of 
musketry. The fire was received with- 
out creating the slightest confusion. 
The regiment moved forward with a 
cheer, Adjutant F. W. Morse bearing 



To Salem Church 43 

the colors. The enemy opposite the 
center and left wing broke, but rallied 
again twenty or thirty yards in rear. 
The firing became very heavy on both 
sides and was maintained about fiYe 
minutes; it was impossible to remain 
longer. The regiment fell back.* 

^'It was the first time the regiment 
had ever been in action. It went into 
the engagement with four hundred 
and fifty-three and suffered a loss of 
two hundred and sixty-nine." (Emory 
Upton, Colonel commanding% One 
Hundred and Twenty-first New 
York.) 

General Brooks says: ''Immediately 
upon entering the dense growth of 
shrubs and trees which concealed the 
enemy our troops were met by a heavy 
and incessant fire of musketry, yet our 
lines advanced until they reached the 
crest of the hill in the outer skirts of 

*An incident. Just at this moment a riderless bay horse, 
a noble animal, accoiitered in the blue trappings of a 
Union field officer of infantry, cralloped out from the death- 
ridden wood and ran into our lines ; he had a blpedincr erash 
in his breast that did not stay his fearless chargre ; his bold 
rider carryint? the colors of his reeriment had been stricken 
to the ground and lay gory in the folds of his flag amongst 
his fallen comrades. 



44 Chancellor sville Campaign 

the wood, where, meeting with and be- 
ing attacked by fresh and superior 
numbers of the enemy, our forces 
were finally compelled to withdraw. 
In this brief but sanguinary conflict 
this division lost nearly fifteen hun- 
dred men.'' 

The Ninety-fifth Pennsylvania (on 
the right of the wood), with Brown's 
(First) brigade, lost all of its field offi- 
cers and one hundred and forty-eight 
line officers and men. 

General Wheaton's three regiments. 
Ninety-third, One Hundred and Sec- 
ond, and One Hundred and Thirt}^- 
ninth Pennsylvania, on the right of 
Brooks's, lost over three hundred men 
and officers. 

It was such spirit made the war glo- 
rious, illumining the brows of Union 
and Confederate soldiers with a light 
that shall shine more and more unto 
the perfect day. 

Let us halt and touch our limp hats 
in memory of those brave men. 



To Salem Church , 45 

MAY 4, 1863 

At daylight the morning of May 4 
it was discovered that Lee's and 
Marye's hills had been abandoned by 
the enemy. General Gordon advanced 
his brigade and took possession of 
Marye's Hill without opposition. 
Barksdale's brigade moved into line 
in the road behind the stone wall at 
the foot of Marye's and Willis's hills, 
to observe Fredericksburg, which was 
occupied by Hall's brigade of Gib- 
bon's division. Smith's brigade was 
thrown over Hazel Run and took posi- 
tion on the plain between Marye's Hill 
and the second heights on the Orange 
Plank road (facing northwest). 

Hoke 's brigade, obliquing to the left 
(northwest), crossed the Hazel and 
halted at the foot of and behind 
Guest's Hill; Hays's brigade followed, 
deploying into line on Hoke 's right. 

General Early's forces, thus dis- 
posed, threatened the left and rear of 
General Sedgwick's corps. 



46 Chancellorsville Campaign 



POSITION OF GENERAL SEDGWICK ^S CORPS, 
MAY 4, 1862 

^'My line was formed/' says Gen- 
eral Sedgwick, ^'with the left (Howe's 
division) resting on the river, about 
midway between Fredericksburg and 
Banks' Ford, then extending slightly 
beyond the Plank road (near Guest's 
house), where it (Newton's division) 
turned at right angles to the right, 
following the direction of the Plank 
road for a mile, and then again turn- 
ing to the right at right angles and re- 
crossing the Plank road (near the Toll 
Gate), in front of Salem Heights, my 
right (Brooks's division) resting 
where it had been placed in the en- 
gagement of the previous evening. 
Thus fronting in three directions, I 
was compelled to await attack. 

^'I received a dispatch from Gen- 
eral Hooker," continues General 
Sedgwick, ^ informing me that he 
could not help me ; that I must look to 



To Salem Church 47 

the safety of my corps, preserve my 
communications with J'redericksburg 
and Banks' Ford, and suggesting- that 
I fall back on the former place, or 
recross, in preference, at Banks' 
Ford. To fall back on Fredericksburg 
was out of the question; to adopt the 
other alternative, except under cover 
of night, was equally so, for the enemy 
(McLaws) still maintained his posi- 
tion on Salem Heights, and Early was 
threatening my flank and rear from 
the direction of Fredericksburg. 

''My force yesterday was twenty- 
two thousand. I do not know my loss- 
es, but they were large, probably five 
thousand men." (Sedgwick to Hooker, 
9 a. M., May 4, 1863.) 

About eleven o'clock General Early 
directed General Smith to make a 
reconnaissance in the direction of the 
heights northwest of Marye's Hill, for 
the purpose of developing the position 
and strength of the enemy in that 
quarter. General Smith advanced his 
brigade in echelon by regiments, com- 



48 Chancellorsville Campaign 

ing in contact with NeilPs brigade of 
Howe's division. After a spirited 
fight, in wliich he lost the colors of one 
of his regiments (Fifty-eighth Vir- 
ginia) and more than a hundred men, 
he was ordered by General Early to 
retire. 

About 11.30 A. M. General Lee ar- 
rived at Salem Church, accompanied 
by General E. H. Anderson and his 
three brigades — Wright's, Posey's, 
and Perry's. General Anderson was 
directed to move his three brigades 
into position on the right of Wof- 
ford's brigade, and at right angles 
with it, facing east, and effect a junc- 
tion with General Early, to complete 
the continuity of the line. General 
Lee ordered that ^*at the signal — 
three guns fired in quick succession — 
the lines were to be advanced against 
the enemy." 

Commencing at a point on Salem 
Heights, about three-fourths of a mile 
from (west) Banks' Ford, the line 
extended west along the ridge, from 



To Salem Church 49 

left to right, in the following forma- 
tion: Mahone, Semmes, Wilcox, Ker- 
shaw, Wofford (under McLaws, facing 
Brooks) ; on Wofford's right. Perry, 
Posey, Wright (under Anderson, fac- 
ing Newton), and extending in a 
southerly direction, touching Hoke's 
left (Early's division); Hays's on 
Hoke's right, these two brigades fac- 
ing Howe. Gordon, on Marye's Hill, 
threatened Howe's left rear; Barks- 
dale, in the road at the foot of Marye's 
and Willis 's hills, watched Fredericks- 
burg. Smith was on Barksdale's left. 
The Confederate lines were hid by 
woods that skirted three sides of the 
field — north, west and south. Sedg- 
wick's army was in the open. 

The adverse armies, thus confront- 
ing, abide the portentous moment. 



THE BATTLE OF MAY 4, 1863 

The morning was fair, but toward 
noon a gray mist veiled the sky and 



50 Chancellorsville Campaign 

settled on the fields. There was omi- 
nous silence. Wearily the day passes ; 
the shadows of night are falling when 
the Confederate brigades touch el- 
bows, and the three signal guns boom 
upon the still air. 

''Then heard we the thunder of the 
captains and the shouting": ''Atten- 
tion! Forward! Guides center! 
March!'' 

The rebel yell, spontaneous rising, 
rent the skies, and the armies mix on 
Spottsylvania's echoing heath. The 
red-mouthed artillery belches hell. 
The musketry growls — the voice of 
death. "A thousand ghosts shriek at 
once on the hollow wind. ' ' 

Our left wing skirmishes with 
Brooks to entice him to linger, but he 
responds with a loud roar of his artil- 
lery, and, under cover of its smoke 
and noise, retires safely to Banks' 
Ford. 

Kershaw and Wofford, wheeling to 
the left, move through the tangled 
wood, harassed by shell and canister 



To Salem Church 51 

from McCartney's battery (First 
Massachusetts), but when they emerge 
the enemy is gone. 

Wright's valiant Georgians circle 
Downman's Hill, face to the front, 
and, like a cyclone, rush upon the 
bristling foe; straight they make for 
Eigby's battery, scattering the cover- 
ing regiment; but let Rigby speak: 
' ' The rebels attacked us with an over- 
whelming force, and compelled our 
troops to retire. I poured shell and 
shrapnel into them; they advanced 
steadily, and when about two hundred 
yards from the battery the regiment 
in my front broke and ran into the 
battery, frightening my horses, creat- 
ing so much confusion that I could do 
nothing." (J. A. Rigby, captain Bat- 
tery A, Maryland Artillery.) So 
Eigby limbered to the rear and fol- 
lowed Brooks. 

Hoke's splendid North Carolinians 
and Hays 's gay Louisianians were fill- 
ing their canteens from the rippling 
Hazel when the three cannons fired; 



52 Chancellor sville Campaign 

quickly they form; spiritedly they 
climb Guest's Hill, '^surging forward 
like the waves of ocean against a 
shaggy rock,'' they dash full upon 
Neill's brigade. General Neill, in his 
report, speaks thus: ''The whole of 
Longstreet's corps [none of Long- 
street's corps; Hoke, Ha^^s and Gor- 
don only] attacked my right and 
front, massing large numbers of his in- 
fantry in the ravines, which were held 
by their troops. After losing about 
one thousand men, I was obliged to re- 
tire, my regiments being unable to cope 
with the overwhelming numbers." 

But behind Neill's was another line. 
Lying low upon the hill and hid by 
its mantling brow. Grant's brigade 
of Vermonters expectant wait. When 
Hays 's and Hoke 's men are but twen- 
ty paces from them they rise "fierce 
as ten furies, terrible as hell," then, 
above the din of war, was heard the 
command, ' ' Fire ! " A sheet of flame 
burst forth dense with death, tearing 
our serried ranks to shreds. Our men 



To Salem Church 53 

recoil. General Hoke was badly 
wounded. 

^'No thought of flight, none of re- 
treat, that argued fear, each on him- 
self relied. ' ' Quick rallying, they form 
again in Guest's field, and, ^4ike a re- 
turning tide, ' ' rush tumultuous on the 
blazing foe. 

Now Gordon, advancing his sturdy 
Georgians, galls the flank of the stub- 
born foe, who retires slowly, mutter- 
ing lead ! 

Night falls and the battle ceases. 

Grant, in his report, says: ^*The 
Vermont regiments remained firm and 
unbroken, closely hugging the crest 
and literally presenting a wall of fire. 
The enemy rushed desperately for- 
ward and nearly gained the crest, 
when the regiments suddenly rose and 
gave him a terrible volley ; the ground 
in our front was literally covered with 
the rebel dead and wounded. The en- 
emy rallied, however, pressing farther 
to the left, threatening to cut us off 
from the river, making desperate at- 



54 Chancellor sville Campaign 

tempts to force our left. Darkness 
now came on and the firing ceased. ' ' 



genekaij Sedgwick's retreat across 
the rappahannock 



**By the bridges at and below Fred- 
ericksburg, General Sedgwick and a 
part of General Couch's corps (First 
and Second brigades of Gibbon's di- 
vision), some twenty-five thousand 
men with their artillery, passed over 
to the attack. 

^^By the two bridges at Banks' 
Ford, our left wing, under General 
Sedgwick, of about seventeen thousand 
men and their trains, and fifty-five 
pieces of artillery, repassed the river 
in about forty-five minutes, between 
two o'clock and three o'clock a. m. on 
the 5th (May, 1863)."— B. W. Ben- 
ham, Brigadier, commanding Engi- 
neers. 

These were the three closing acts of 
a great drama. ^^The Campaign of 
Chancellorsville" was an epic poem, 



To Salem Church 55 

written on the fair brow of Virginia, 
in the mingled blood of the sons of the 
Eleven Confederate Sisters. 

And sad, also, is it to tell, that in 
every State of the Union, from Maine 
to Minnesota, there were many moth- 
ers weeping for their sons who lay 
forever still on Virginia 's sanguinary 
lap. 



ABSTRACTS OF REPORTS 

The subjoined abstracts from re- 
ports of the operations of the Union 
Army of the Potomac will give the 
reader a general idea of the entire 
Chancellor sville Campaign^ of which 
the Battles of Fredericksburg to 
Salem Church are especially written 
about in the foregoing story. 



Executive Mansion, 
Washington, D. C, January 26, 1863. 
Major-General Hooker. 

General : I have placed you at the head 
of the Army of the Potomac. Of course I 
have done tliis upon what appears to me to 
be sufficient reasons, and yet I trust it best 
for you to know that there are some things in 
regard to which I am not quite satisfied with 
you. I believe you to be a brave and skilful 
soldier, which, of course, I like. I also be- 
lieve you do not mix politics with your pro- 
56 



^Abstracts of Reports 57 

fession, in which you are right. You have 
confidence in yourself, which is a valuable if 
not indispensable quality. You are ambitious, 
which, within reasonable bounds, does good 
rather than harm; but I think that during 
General Burnside's command of the army 
you have taken counsel of your ambition and 
thwarted him as much as you could, in which 
you did a great wrong to the country and to 
a most meritorious and honorable brother 
officer. I have heard, in such a way as to 
believe it, of your recently saying that both 
the Army and the Government needed a dic- 
tator. Of course it was not for this, but in 
spite of it, that I have given you command. 
Only those generals who gain successes can 
set up dictators. What I now ask of you is 
military success, and I will risk the dictator- 
ship. The Government will support you to 
the utmost of its ability, which is neither 
more nor less than it has done and will do 
for all commanders. I much fear that the 
spirit which you have aided to infuse into the 
army, of criticising their commander and 
withholding confidence from him, will now 
turn upon you. I shall assist you as far as 
I can to put it down. Neither you nor Napo- 
leon, if he were alive again, could get any 
good out of an army while such a spirit pre- 
vails in it. And now beware of rashness, but 
with energy and sleepless vigilance go for- 
ward and give us victories. 

Yours very truly, 

A. LlN-COLN. 



58 Chancellor sville Campaign 

Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 
Camp near Falmouth, Va., January 26, 1863. 
General Orders No. 1. 

By direction of the President of the United 
States, the undersigned assumes command of 
the Army of the Potomac. He enters upon 
the discharge of the duties imposed by this 
trust with a just appreciation of their re- 
sponsibility. 

Since the formation of this army he has 
been identified with its history. He has 
shared with you its glories and reverses with 
no other desire than that these relations 
might remain unchanged until its destiny 
should be accomplished. In the record of 
your achievements there is much to be proud 
of, and with the blessing of God we will con- 
tribute something to the renown of our arms 
and the success of our cause. To secure these 
ends, your commander will require the cheer- 
ful and zealous co-operation of every officer 
and soldier in the army. 

In equipment, intelligence, and valor the 
enemy is our inferior ; let us never hesitate to 
give him battle wherever we can find him. 

The undersigned only gives expression to 
the feelings of this army when he conveys to 
our late commander, Major-General Burn- 
side, the most cordial good wishes for his 
future. 

My staff will be announced as soon as or- 
ganized. Joseph Hooker, 
Major-General Commanding Army of the 

Potomac. 



Abstracts of Reports 59 

Washington, D'. C, January 31, 1863. 
Maj.-Gen. Joseph Hooker: 

In regard to the operations of your own 
army, you can best judge when and where it 
can move to the greatest advantage, keeping 
in view always the importance of covering 
Washington and Harper's Ferry directly or 
by so operating as to be able to punish any 
force of the enemy sent against them. 

H. W. Halleck:^ 
General-in-Chief. 



Camp near Falmouth, Va., April 11, 1863. 
His Excellency the President of the United 

States : 

After giving the subject my best reflection, 
I have concluded that I will have more 
chance of afflicting a heavier blow upon the 
enemy by turning his position to my right, 
and, if practical, to sever liis connections with 
Eichmond with my dragoon force and such 
light batteries as it may be deemed advisable 
to send with them. I am apprehensive that 
he will retire from before me the moment I 
shall succeed in crossing the river, and over 
the shortest line toEichmond,and thus escape 
being seriously crippled. I hope that when 
the cavalry have established themselves on 
the line between him and Eichmond they 
will be able to hold him and check his retreat 
until I can fall on his rear, or, if not that, 
I will compel him to fall back by the way of 



60 Chancellorsville Campaign 

Culpeper and Gordonsville, over a longer line 
than my own, with his supplies cut off. The 
cavalry will probably cross the river above 
the Eappahannock Bridge, thence to Cul- 
peper and Gordonsville and across to the 
Aquia Eailroad^ somewhere in the vicinity 
of Hanover Court House. I have given di- 
rections for the cavalry to be in readiness to 
commence the movement on Monday morn- 
ing next. 

I hope, Mr. President, that this plan will 
receive your approval. 

Joseph Hooker, 
Major-General Commanding. 



Camp near Falmouth, Va., April 15, 1863. 
His Excellency the President of the United 

States : 

A letter from Major-General Stoneman, 
dated 1 p. m. yesterda}^, informs me that his 
command will be across the river before day- 
light this morning (the 15th). Meanwhile, 
I shall do what I can to keep the enemy up 
to their works in my front, and, if they should 
fall back, shall pursue them with all the vigor 
practicable. 

Up to late last night the enemy appeared 
to have no suspicions of our designs. I am 
rejoiced that Stoneman had two good days 
to go up the river, and was enabled to 
cross it before it had become too much 
swollen. If he can reach his position the 



Abstracts of Reports 61 

storm and mud will not damage our pros- 
pects. 

Very respectfully, etc., 

Joseph Hooker, 
Major-General Commanding. 



Executive Mansion, 
Washington, D. C, April 15, 1863. 
Major-General Hooker : 

It is now 10.15 p. M. An hour ago I re- 
ceived your letter of this morning, and a few 
hours later your dispatch of this evening. 
The rain and mud, of course, were to be cal- 
culated upon. General S. is not moving rap- 
idly enough to make the expedition come to 
anything. He has now been out three days, 
two of which were unusually fair weather, 
and all three without hindrance from the 
enemy, and yet he is not twenty-five miles 
from where he started. To reach his point 
he still has sixty to go, another river (the 
Eapidan) to cross, and will be hindered by 
the enemy. By arithmetic, how many days 
will it take him to do it? 

I do not know that any better can be done, 
but I greatly fear it is another failure al- 
ready. Write me often, I am very anxious. 
Yours truly, 

A. Lincoln". 



62 Chancellor sville Campaign 

Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 

April 17, 1863—9 A. M. 
His Excellency the President of the United 

States. 

Me. President: I have the honor to ac- 
knowledge your communication of the night 
of the 15th instant, and, in compliance with 
your request, transmit herewith a letter from 
General Stoneman, dated the 16th instant. 

His failure to accomplish speedily the ob- 
jects of his expedition is a source of deep re- 
gret to me, but I can find nothing in his con- 
duct of it requiring my animadversion or 
censure. We cannot control the elements. 

I do not regard him out of position, as, in 
case of an advance of so large an army, it 
would be necessary to throw the main por- 
tion of his forces well on to my right flank. 
It would take until doomsday to pass all this 
army over one or two lines. No one, Mr. 
President, can be more anxious than myself 
to relieve your cares and anxieties. We have 
no reason to suppose that the enemy have any 
knowledge of the design of General Stone- 
man's movement. 

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, 
your most obedient servant, 

Joseph Hooker, 
Major-General 



Abstracts of Reports 63 

Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 

April 22, 1863. 
Major-General Stoneman. 

Commanding Cavalry Corps, 
Warrenton Junction, Va. : 
Your telegram of this date received. It is 
hoped the arrival of the trains has enabled 
you to replenish your supplies, both of sub- 
sistence and forage, and it is expected that 
you are again prepared for a forward move- 
ment. The Commanding General therefore 
directs that you proceed across the river to- 
morrow morning, if the fords are practicable. 
The General does not look for one moment's 
delay in your advance from any cause that 
human effort can obviate, and directs me to 
add that this army is awaiting your move- 
ment. S. Williams, 

Assistant Adjutant-General. 



Camp near Falmouth, Va., April 26, 1863. 
Commanding Officers, Eleventh and Twelfth 

Corps: 

I am directed by the Major-General com- 
manding to inform you that the Eleventh 
and Twelfth Corps, in the order named, will 
begin their march at sunrise to-morrow 
morning, the former to encamp as near 
Kelly's Ford as practicable without discover- 
ing itself to the enemy, and the latter as 
nearly in its rear as circumstances will per- 
mit. S. Williams, 

Assistant Adjutant- General. 



64 Chancellor sville Campaign 

Camp near Falmouth, Va., 
April 27, 1863—1 A. M. 
The Commanding Officer, Fifth Corps : 

The Major- General commanding directs 
me to inform you that your corps is to march 
to-morrow, so as to reach the vicinity of 
Kelly's Ford by Tuesday at 4 o'clock. The 
corps of Generals Slocum and Howard take 
the same direction (and will be on the same 
route, probably) from Hartwood. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
Dan'l Butterfield, 
Major-General, Chief of Staff. 



Camp near Falmouth, Va., April 27, 1863. 
Commanding Officer, Second Corps. 

General: The Major-General command- 
ing directs that you move at sunrise to-mor- 
row morning two divisions of your corps, to 
encamp as near as practicable to Banks' Ford 
without exposing your camps to the view of 
the enemy; that one brigade and one battery 
of one of these divisions take position at 
United States Ford; the movement to be 
made quietly. The division left in camp 
should be the one whose camps are most ex- 
posed to the view of the enemy. 

S. Williams, 
Assistant Adjutant-General. 



Abstracts of Reports 65 

Washington^ D. C, 
April 37, 1863—3.30 p. m. 
Major-General Hooker : 
How does it look now ? 

A. Lincoln". 



April 27, 1863—5 p. m. 
President Lincoln: 

I am not sufficiently advanced to give an 
opinion. We are busy. Will tell yon all soon 
as I can, and have it satisfactory. 

Joseph Hooker, 
Major-General Commanding. 



Camp near Falmouth, Va., April 27, 1863. 
Major-General Sedgwick, Commanding, etc. : 

The Major-General commanding directs 
that the Sixth Corps, Major-General Sedg- 
wick; First Corps, Major-General Eeynolds, 
and Third Corps, Major-General Sickles, put 
themselves in position to cross the river as 
follows: Sixth Corps at Franklin's Cross- 
ing; First Corps at the crossing below at 
Pollock's Mill Creek, and the Third Corps 
as a support to cross at either point. These 
movements to be made so that the respective 
corps are in position — the First and Sixth on 
or before 3.30 a. m. of the 29th and the Third 
Corps on or before 4.30 a. m. of the 29th. 

General Sedgwick, pending the operation, 
will be charged with the command of the 
three corps mentioned, and will make a dem- 



66 Chancellor sville Campaign 

onstration in full force on Wednesday morn- 
ing upon the enemy's defences, with a view 
of securing the Telegraph road. 

In event of the enemy detaching any con- 
siderahle part of his forces against the troops 
operating at the west of Fredericksburg, he 
will attack and carry their works at all haz- 
ards, and establish his force on the Telegraph 
road, cutting off communication by the en- 
emy in order to prevent their turning his 
position on that road. In case the enemy 
should fall back on Eichmond he will pursue 
them with vigor, fighting them whenever and 
wherever he can come up with them. 

The General will give such other instruc- 
tions as may seem to him necessary to carry 
out the plans and wishes of the Major-Gen- 
eral commanding. 

By command of Major-General Hooker : 
S. Williams, 
Assistant Adjutant-General. 



Headquarters Armv of the Potomac, 
Morrisville, Va., April 28, 1863. 
Major-General Slocum, 
Commanding Eleventh and Twelfth Corps : 
I am directed by the Major-General com- 
manding to inform you that so long as the 
Eleventh and Twelfth Corps are operating on 
the same line, you will exercise the command 
of both. 

The General directs that the Eleventh 
Corps cross to the opposite side of the river 



Abstracts of Reports 67 

to-night, and that the Twelfth Corps com- 
mence crossing at daylight to-morrow morn- 
ing, and to be thrown over with all possible 
rapidity, and both corps march by the most 
direct route without delay, and seize the 
bridge, if standing, and the ford at Ger- 
manna Mills. 

Major-General Meade (Fifth Corps) will 
move on almost a parallel line at the same 
time, and w^ill be in easy communication with 
you. He will cross at Ely's Ford. 

When the Fifth Corps is across, push on 
with both of your corps to Chancellorsville, 
at which point the three corps will come to- 
gether, and which you will command by vir- 
tue of your seniority. 

The enemy have a brigade holding the 
United States Ford, which they will abandon 
as soon as they hear of your approach; this 
will open the United States Ford to us, when 
bridges will at once be thrown across the 
river. 

If your cavalry is well advanced from 
Chancellorsville, you will be able to ascertain 
whether or not the enemy is detaching forces 
from behind Fredericksburg to resist your 
advance. If not in any considerable force, 
the General desires that you will endeavor to 
advance at all hazards, securing a position 
on the Plank road and uncovering Banks' 
Ford, which is also defended by a brigade of 
the rebel infantry and a battery. If the en- 
emy should be greatly reinforced you will 
then select a strong position, and compel him 



68 Chancellorsville Campaign 

to attack you on your own ground. You will 

have nearly forty thousand men^ which is 

more than he can spare to send against you. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

Wm. L. Candler^ 

Captain and Aide-de-Camp. 



Balloon in the Air, April 29, 1863. 
Major-General Butterfield, 

Chief of Staff, Army of the Potomac 
General: The enemy's line of battle is 
formed in the edge of the woods, at the foot 
of the heights, from opposite Fredericksburg 
to some distance to the left of our lower 
crossing. Their line appears quite thin, com- 
pared with our force. Their tents all remain 
as heretofore, as far as I can see. 

T. S. C. Lowe, 
Chief of Aeronauts. 



Camp near Falmouth, Va., 
April 30, 1863—12.30 p. M. 
Commanding Officer, Third Corps: 

Upon receipt of this order you will pro- 
ceed with your corps, without delay, by the 
shortest road, concealed from view of the 
enemy, to the United States Ford. The great- 
est promptness in executing this movement 
and arriving at yoiir destination is expected 
of you. After crossing you will take up your 
line of march toward Chancellorsville. ; 

Dan'l Butterfield, 
Major-General, Chief of Staff. 



Abstracts of Reports 69 

Fort Monroe, Ya., April 30, 1863. 
Major-General Hooker, 

Conunanding Army of the Potomac: 
We are invested at Suffolk by a superior 
force. 

A successful movement on your part will 
be of great service to us by preventing Long- 
street from being further reinforced, and 
may compel him to withdraw. 

John" A. Dix, 
Major-General. 



April 30, 1863—12.30 p.m. 
Major-General John A. Dix, 

Fort Monroe, Ya. : 
The enemy has need of every man here. 
He has his hands full. Eely on this. I can 
say no more. 

Joseph Hooker, 
Major-General Commanding. 



Chancellorsville, Ya., 
May 1, 1863—8.45 p. M. 
Major-General Butterfield, 
(Headquarters Camp near Falmouth, Ya.) : 
. . . Telegraph all the information you 
have concerning the reinforcement of the 
enemy from Eichmond, to Washington, as it 
may have an important bearing on move- 
ments elsewhere. Say that all the enemy's 
cavalry are in my immediate presence, which, 
I trust, will enable Stoneman to do a land- 
office business in the interior. 



70 Chancellor sville Campaign 

I think the enemy in his desperation will 
be compelled to attack me on my own ground. 
I am all right. 

Joseph Hooker, 
Major-General Commanding. 



Balloon in the Air, 
May 1, 1863—12.30 p.m. 
Major-General Sedgwick, 

Commanding Left Wing, Army of the Po- 
tomac. 
General: In a west-northwest direction, 
about twelve miles, an engagement is going 
on. 

T. S. C. Lowe, 
Chief of Aeronauts, Army of the Potomac. 



Balloon in the Air, 
May 1, 1863—2.15 p. m. 
Major-General Sedgwick, 

Commanding Left Wing. 
General: The enemy opposite here re- 
main the same as last reported. Immense 
volumes of smoke are rising where the battle 
is going on opposite United States Ford. A 
large force must be engaged on both sides. 
Very respectfully, etc., 

T. S. C. Lowe, 
Chief of Aeronauts, Army of the Potomac. 



Abstracts of Reports 71 

Chancellorsville, Va., 
May 2, 1863—1.55 A. M. 
Maior-General Butterfield: 

Direct all of the bridges to be taJcen up at 
Franklin's Crossing and below before day- 
light, and for Keynolds's (First) Corps to 
march at once, with pack train, to report to 

headquarters. 

Joseph Hooker, 

Major-General Commanding. 



May 2, 1863—7.45 A. M. 
General Butterfield : . 

Heavy cannonading has just commenced m 
a westerly direction about twelve miles. 
T. S. C. Lowe, 

Aeronaut. 



Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 

May 2, 1863—10.10 P. M. 
Maior-General Sedgwick : 

The Major-General commandmg directs 
that you cross the Rappahannock at Freder- 
icksburg on receipt of this order and at once 
take up your line of march on the Chancel- 
lorsville road until you connect with him. 
You will attack and destroy any force you 
may fall in with on the road, and march to 
be in the vicinity of the General at daylight 
You will probably fall upon the rear of the 
forces commanded by General Lee, and be- 



72 Chancellor sville Campaign 

tween you and the Major-General command- 
ing he expects to nse him np, 

Dan'l Butterfield, 
Major-General, Chief of Staff. 



Camp near Falmouth, Ya., May 2, 1863. 
General Sedgwick : 

I send a contraband who knows the Plank 
road leading to Chancellorsville. Push on 
without delay. I have ordered Gibbon over 
the river to-night, and to avoid interference 
with your column, will have the Pontoon 
bridge laid at the Lacy house for him. Look 
out that your troops do not come in contact 
with his. 

Dan'l Butterfield, 
Major-General, Chief of Staff. 



Camp near Falmouth, Va., 
May 2, 1863—10.20 A. M. 
Brigadier-General Gibbon : 

I have hardly time to post you fully in re- 
gard to the condition of affairs. As matters 
stand now, General Hooker is at Chancellors- 
ville with the Third, Fifth, Eleventh and 
Twelfth, with two divisions of the Second 
Corps. Eeynolds is en route there from the 
lower crossing. Seclg\\dck will be at the lower 
crossing alone after Reynolds is gone. 
Twenty-eight or thirty pieces of the Reserve 
Artillery are at Banks' Ford, with one of 
your regiments and some engineers. Two 



Abstracts of Reports 73 

bridges ready to be thrown across whenever 
the ford is uncovered. 

Stoneman's cavalry is supposed to be in the 
enemy's rear, on the line of his railroad. 
Sedgwick has one division of the enemy in 
front of him, and the balance are in front of 
General Hooker. 

Very respectfully, 

Dan'l Butterfield, 
Major-General, Chief of Staff. 



Camp near Falmouth, Va., 

May 2, 1863. 
Brigadier-General Gibbon : 

Your command must cross the river to 
Fredericksburg to-night. Pontoon bridge 
now at the Lacy house. Get under way soon. 
General Sedgwick is ordered to move through 
Fredericksburg toward Chancellorsville. 
Look out 3^ou do not come in contact with 
him. You must see to the laying of the 
bridges. 

Dan'l Butterfield, 
Major-General, Chief of Staff. 



United States Ford, May 3, 1863. 
(Eeceived at 8.45 a. m.) 
General Butterfield, 

Headquarters, Camp Falmouth: 
A most terrible, bloody conflict has raged 
since daylight. Enemy in great force in our 
front and on the right, but at this moment 



74 Chancellor sville Campaign 

we are repulsing him on all sides. Carnage 
is fearful. General Hooker is safe so far. 
Berry is killed. I return to the front, but 
will keep )^ou advised when in my power. 
EuFus Ingalls^ 
Chief Quartermaster. 



Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 

May 3, 1863—8.50 a. m. 
Abraham Lincoln, 

President of the United States: 
Though not directed or specially author- 
ized to do so by General Hooker, I think it 
not improper that I should advise you that a 
battle is in progress. 

Dan'l Butterfield, 

Chief of Staff. 



Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 

May 3, 1863—12.45 p. M. 
General Butterfield: 

I think we have had the most terrible bat- 
tle ever witnessed on earth. I think our vic- 
tory will be certain, but the General told me 
he would say nothing just yet to Washington, 
except that he is doing well. In an hour or 
two the matter will be a fixed fact. I believe 
the enemy is in flight now, but we are not 
sure. 

RuFus Ingalls^ 
Chief Quartermaster. 



Abstracts of Reports 75 

Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 

May 3, 1863—1.30 p„ M. 
His Excellency Abraham Lincoln, 

President of the United States: 
From all reports yet collected the battle 
has been most fierce and terrible. Loss heavy 
on both sides. General Hooker slightly but 
not severely wounded. He has preferred thus 
far that nothing should be reported and does 
not know of this, but I cannot refrain from 
saying this much to you. You may expect 
his dispatch in a few hours, which will give 
the result. 

Dan''l Butterfield, 

Maior-General. 



Washington, D. C, 
May 3, 1863—4.35 p. M. 
Major-General Butterfield : 

Where is Hooker? Where is Sedgwick? 
Where is Stoneman ? 

A. Lincoln. 



Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 

May 3, 1863—4.40 p. M. 
His Excellency Abraham Lincoln, President, 
etc. : 
General Hooker is at Chancellorsville. 
General Sedgwick, with fifteen thousand to 
twenty thousand men, at a point three or 
four miles out from Fredericksburg, on the 
road to Chancellorsville. Lee is between. 



76 Chancellorsville Campaign 

Stoneman has not been heard from. This is 
the situation at this hour from latest reports, 
4.30 p. M. 

Dan'l Butterfield, 
Major-General, Chief of Staff. 



Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 

May 3, 1863—3.30 p. M. 
(Eeceived 4 p. m.) 
His Excellency Abraham Lincoln, 

President of the United States : 
We have had a desperate fight yesterday 
and to-day, which has resulted in no success 
to us, having lost a position of two lines, 
which had been selected for our defence. It 
is now 1.30 o'clock (p. M.), and there is still 
some firing of artillery. If Sedgwick could 
have gotten up, there could have been but one 
result. I cannot tell when it will end. We 
will endeavor to do our best. My troops are 
in good spirits. We have fought desperately 
to-day. No general ever commanded a more 
devoted army. 

Joseph Hooker, 
Major-Greneral. 



May 3, 1863—2.35 A. M. 
Ma jor-General Sedgwick : 

An aide just arrived from General Hooker. 
Everything in the world depends upon the 
rapidity and promptness of your movement. 
Push everything. 

Da>t'l Butterfield, 
Major-General, Chief of Staff. 



Abstracts of Reports 77 

Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 

May 3, 1863—10.35 a. m. 
General Hooker: 

Sedgwick at this moment commences his 
assault. He is on our old ground of Decem- 
ber 13. The force in his front is small but 
active. Will post you speedily as to result. 

BUTTERFIELD^ 

Major-General, Chief of Staff. 



May 3, 1863—10.50 a. m. 
General Hooker: 

Am signaled that Sedgwick has carried 
Marye's Heights and, officer thinks, captured 
the guns. 

BUTTERTIELD. 



May 3, 1863—11.10 A. M. 
General Hooker: 

First range of hills ours. Batteries and 
prisoners taken. Enemy retreating. 

BUTTERFIELD. 



May 3, 1863—12.32 p. M. 
General Hooker: 

To the left and rear of Howison house the 
enemy have taken a position on Telegraph 
road, and are holding our forces in check. 
They are hotly contesting the ground at this 
point. 

BUTTERFIELD. 



78 Chancellor sville Campaign 

Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 

May 3, 1863—7.15 p.m. 
Major-General Hooker : 

General Sedgwick was attacking the en- 
emy on a ridge at Salem Chnrch, six and 
one-half miles from Chancellorsville, the en- 
emy making a stand at that point. Infantry 
fire heavier than hitherto^ and our men fall 
back a little in the center. Heavy infantry 
fire reported. Time 6.05 to 6.15 o'clock. 

BUTTERFIELD. 



May 4, 1863—12 M. 
Col. Ambrose Thompson, 

Quartermaster, Aquia, Va. : 
Keep as much of the public property afloat 
as you can until further orders. Be prepared 
to act on your own judgment at short notice. 
See that your depot is constantly prepared. 
EuFus Ingalls, 
Chief Quartermaster. 



United States Ford, W. Va., May 4, 1863. 
Col. D. W. Eucker, 

Quartermaster's Department : 
Ship no more horses or other stores until 
further notice. Please advise Captains Stod- 
dard and Ferguson. My reasons are good. 
EuFUs Ingalls, 
Chief Quartermaster. 



Abstracts of Reports 79 

Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 

May 4, 1863—13 m. 
Capt. M^illiam H. Kankins, 
At Old Headquarters Army of the Potomac: 
Do not come up here yourself. Perhaps 
no one had better come just yet. Keep quiet ; 
do not make any excitement. We are in great 
trouble, but we shall fight out. Do not com- 
municate with Washington on the subject. 
EuFus Ingalls^ 
Chief Quartermaster. 



Headquarters Sixth Corps, 

May 4, 1863—9 a. m. 
Major- General Hooker : 

I am occupying the same position as last 
night. I have secured my communications 
with Banks' Ford. The e^iemy are in pos- 
session of the heights of Frederichshurg in 
force. They appear strongly in our front, 
and are making efforts to drive us back. I 
do not know my losses, but they were large, 
probably 5,000 men. It depends upon the 
condition and position of your force whether 
I can sustain myself here. 

John Sedgwick. 



Washington, D. C, 
May 4, 1863—3.10 p. M. 
Major-General Hooker : 

We have news here that the enemy has re- 
occupied heights above Fredericksburg. Is 
that so? 

A. Lincoln. 



80 Chancellor sville Campaign 

Headquaxters Army of the Potomac, 

May 4, 1863—4.20 p. M. 
His Excellency the President: 

I am informed that it is so, but attach no 
importance to it. 

Joseph Hooker, 
Major-General. 



May 5, 1863—12.30 a. m. 
Major-General Butterfield, Chief of Staff: 

Communication with General Sedgwick is 
at present full and open by two bridges. . . . 
His main body is, however, below the crest 
of the hill, opposite the ford, under full fire 
of artillery. I consider his command in 
great danger. 

E. 0. Tyler, 
Brigadier-General. 



Headquarters, May 5, 1863 — 1 A. M. 
General Sedgwick: 

. . . Withdraw. Cover the river, and 
prevent any force crossing. Aclmowledge 
this. 

By command of General Hooker : 

Dan'l Butterfield. 



In the Field, May 5, 1863—11 a. m. 
His Excellency Abraham Lincoln, 

President of the United States: 
General Hooker is not at this moment able, 
from pressing duties, to write of the condi- 
tion of affairs. He deems it his duty that 
you should be advised. The cavalry, as yet 



Abstracts of Reports 81 

learned, have failed in executing their or- 
ders. . . . General Sedgwick failed in the 
execntion of his orders, and was compelled 
to retire, and crossed the river at Banks' 
Ford last night. . . . 

The First, Third, Fifth, Eleventh and 
Twelfth and two divisions of the Second 
Corps are now on the south bank of the Rap- 
pahannock, intrenched between Hunting Run 
and Scotf s Dam. Position is strong, but cir- 
cumstances, which in time will be fully ex- 
plained, make it expedient, in the GeneraFs 
judgment, that he .should retire from this 
position to the north bank of the Rappahan- 
nock for his defensible position. Among 
these is danger to his communication by pos- 
sibility of the enemy crossing river on our 
right flank and imperiling this army. He 
may cross to-night, but hopes to be attacked 
in this position. 

Dan'l Butterfield, 
Major-General, Chief of Staff. 



Near Chancellorsville, Va., May 5, 1863. 
Commanding Officer, Confederate Forces, 
Chancellorsville, Va. : 
I would most respectfully request the privi- 
lege of sending a burial party on the field of 
Chancellorsville to bury the dead and care 
for the wounded officers and soldiers of my 
command. 

Very respectfully, etc., 

Joseph Hooker, 
Major-General Commanding. 



82 Chancellor sville Campaign 

Headquarters Army of J^orthern Virginia, 

May 6, 1863. 
MaJ.-Gen. Joseph Hooker, ' 

Commanding Army of the Potomac. 

General : I have had the honor to receive 
your letter of yesterday requesting permis- 
sion to send a burial party to attend to your 
dead and wounded on the battlefield of Chan- 
cellorsville. I regret that their position is 
such, being immediately within our lines, 
that the necessities of war forbid my com- 
pliance with your request, which under other 
circumstances it would give me pleasure to 
grant. I will accord to your dead and wound- 
ed the same attention which I bestow upon 
my own; but if there is anything which your 
medical director here requires which we can- 
not provide, he shall have my permission to 
receive from you such medical supplies as you 
may think proper to furnish. Consideration 
for your wounded prompts me to add that, 
from what I learn, their comfort would be 
greatly promoted by additional medical at- 
tendance and medical supplies. 

I have the honor to be, respectfully, your 
obedient servant, E. E. Lee^ 

General. 



Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 

May 6, 1863—1 p. M. 
His Excellency Abraham Lincoln, 

President of the United States : 
I have just returned from above, and find 
here your two dispatches to General Hooker, 



Abstracts of Reports 83 

and one from him to me, directing me to tele- 
graph you that the army has recrossed the 
river; that the bridges are up, and that all 
are under orders to return to camp. 

Dan'l Butteefield, 
Major-General, Chief of Staff. 



Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 

Camp near Falmouth, Va., May 6, 1863. 
General Orders No. 49. 

The Major-General commanding tenders 
to the army his congratulations on its 
achievements of the last seven days. If it 
has not accomplished all that was expected, 
the reasons are well known to the army. It 
is sufficient to say they were of a character 
not to be foreseen or prevented by human 
sagacity or resource. 

In withdrawing from the south bank of 
the Eappahannock before delivering a gen- 
eral battle to our adversaries, the army has 
given renewed evidence of its confidence in 
itself and its fidelity to the principles it rep- 
resents. In fighting at a disadvantage, we 
would have been recreant to our trust, to our- 
selves, our cause and our country. 

Proudly loyal, and conscious of its 
strength, the Army of the Potomac will give 
or decline battle whenever its interests or 
honor may demand. It will also be the guar- 
dian of its own history and its own fame. 

By our celerity and secrecy of movement 
our advance and passage of the rivers were 



84 Chancellor sville Campaign 

undispTited, and on our withdrawal not a 
rebel ventured to follow. 

The events of the last week may swell with 
pride the heart of every officer and soldier of 
this army. We have added new luster to its 
former renown. We have made long marches, 
crossed rivers, surprised the enemy in his in- 
trenchments, and whenever we have fought 
have inflicted heavier blows than we have 
received. 

We have taken from the enemy 5,000 pris- 
oners, captured and brought off seven pieces 
of artillery, fifteen colors, placed hors de 
combat 18,000 of his chosen troops ; destroyed 
his depots filled with vast amounts of stores ; 
deranged his communications ; captured pris- 
oners within the fortifications of his capital, 
and filled his country with fear and con- 
sternation. 

We have no other regret than that caused 
by the loss of our brave companions, and in 
this we are consoled by the conviction that 
they have fallen in the holiest cause ever 
submitted to the arbitrament of battle. 

By command of Major-General Hooker : 
S. Williams, 
Assistant Adjutant-General. 



^ May 7, 1863. 

Major-General Hooker. 

My Dear Sir: The recent movement of 
your army is ended without effecting its ob- 
ject, except some important breakings of the 



Abstracts of Reports 85 

enemy^s communication. What next? If 
possible, I would be very glad of another 
movement early enough to give us some ben- 
efit from the fact of the enemy's communi- 
cation being broken ; but neither for this rea- 
son nor any other do I wish anything done 
in desperation or rashness. An early move- 
ment would also help to supersede the bad 
moral effect of the recent one, which is said 
to be considerably injurious. Have you al- 
ready in your mind a plan wholly or partially 
formed? If you have, prosecute it without 
interference from me. If you have not, please 
inform me, so that I, incompetent as I may 
be, can try and assist in the formation of 
some plan for the army. 

Yours, as ever, 

A. Lincoln. 



Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia, 

May 7, 1863. 
Major- General Hooker, 

Commanding Army of the Potomac. 
General : The reasons that prevented me 
from complying with your request with ref- 
erence to your wounded no longer existing, I 
have the honor to inform you that you can 
extend to them such attentions as they may 
require. All persons whom it may be neces- 
sary to send within my lines for this pur- 
pose will remain until the wounded are 
finally disposed of. The burial of your dead 
has already been provided for. 



86 Chancellorsville Campaign 

I have directed that those of your wounded 
who desire it shall be paroled and transferred 
within your lines, should you be willing to 
receive them : those in the vicinity of Chan- 
cellorsville at the United States Ford, and 
those on the battlefield of Salem Church, at 
Banl^s' Ford or Fredericksburg. As your 
wounded generally occupy the few houses in 
the vicinity of the late battlefield, the trans- 
portation of this army cannot be employed in 
conveying them to the river until my own 
wounded have been removed to a place of 
shelter. As soon as this can be accomplished 
I will cause such of your wounded as may 
desire to be paroled to be delivered at the 
points above indicated, upon being advised 
of your willingness to receive them. In the 
meantime they shall have such care as is 
given to my own. 

I have the honor to inclose a copy of my 
letter of j^esterday, in case the original may 
not have reached you. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

E. E. Lee, 
General. 



Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 
Camp near Falmouth, Va., May 7, 1863 — 

8 p. M. 
General R. E. Lee, 

Commanding Confederate Forces 
at Fredericksburg, Va. : 
I have the honor to acknowledge the re- 



Abstracts of Reports 87 

ceipt of your two conmninications of May 6 
and 7 this moment. If agreeable to yon, I 
wonld like to send medical supplies and at- 
tendance to my wonnded, and at sucli times 
as the state of the fords designated in your 
communication, viz., United States and 
Banks' fords. I will, with your consent, send 
parties to those fords with supplies at an 
early hour to-morrow. The swollen state of 
the Rappahannock probably preventing the 
crossing of any vehicles with supplies, I shall 
have to depend upon you for transportation 
for them. I will receive the wounded at the 
points named as soon as it can be done. ^ I 
will send an officer to Chancellorsyille, with 
your consent, to arrange the details, which, 
judging from your letter, with the state of 
the river, cannot now be determined by cor- 
respondence. Upon an intimation from you 
as to any deficiency in your immediate neces- 
sities of medical supplies of your own, by 
reason of their use for my wounded or other 
cause, I shall with pleasure replace them.^ I 
would be obliged for approximate information 
concerning the number of wounded, that a 
sufficient '^amount of supplies may be for- 
warded. I would be under obligations for 
an early reply. 

Very respectfully, etc., 

Joseph Hooker, 
Major-General Commanding. 



88 Chancellor sville Campaign 

Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia, 

May 11, 1863. 
Major-General Joseph Hooker, 

Commanding Army of the Potomac. 

General : The Medical Director of this 
army advises me that your wounded will 
avoid inconvenience and suffering if taken 
directly from the different hospitals in your 
own ambulances, instead of being subjected 
to the change of conveyance incident to their 
removal to the river by transportation. 

Should you see proper to adopt the sug- 
gestion, your ambulances will be permitted to 
cross the Rappahannock at the United States 
Ford to remove the wounded from Chancel- 
lorsville, at Banks' Ford for those at Salem 
Church, and at Fredericksburg for those in 
the vicinity. 

Instructions have been issued to the com- 
manding officers at the points above men- 
tioned to give free passage to your trains, and 
each of them, upon crossing the river, will 
be conducted to and placed under directions 
of your medical officers left in charge of 
3^our wounded at the hospital to which it is 
destined. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

R. E. Lee, 
General. 



Abstracts of Reports 89 

Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 
Camp near Falmouth, Va., May 14, 1863. 
General R. E. Lee, 

Commanding Army of Northern Virginia : 
On learning yesterday afternoon, through 
my medical officers, who have returned from 
your lines, that permission would be given to 
throw a bridge across the river at United 
States Ford, to enable our ambulance trains 
to proceed to the hospitals in the vicinity of 
Chancellorsville for our wounded, I at once 
gave directions to have the bridge laid at an 
early hour this morning. I regret that I 
was not sooner informed that this facility 
would be afforded. The bridge will be used 
for no other purpose than bringing away the 
wounded, and, when this has been accom- 
plished, will be immediately removed and 
returned to the place from which it was 
taken. Very respeetfully, 

Joseph Hooker, 
Major-Greneral Commanding. 



90 Chancellorsville Campaign 



Forces Under General Hooker in Chancel- 
lorsville Campaign. 

Abstract from Tri-monthly Eeturn of the 
Army of the Potomac, Major-G-eneral 
Joseph Hooker, TJ. S. Army, Commanding, 
for April 30, 1863. 

Aggregate officers and men present for 
duty (only those who are actually available 
for the line of battle) : 

INFANTRY. 

1st Corps (Eeynolds) 15,782 

3d Corps (Couch) 15,907 

3d Corps (Sickles) 17,568 

5th Corps (Meade) 14,867 

6th Corps (Sedgwick) 22,427 

11th Corps (Howard) 12,170 

12th Corps (Slocum) 12,929 

CAVALRY. 

11,079. 

ARTILLERY. 

412 Guns— 9,543 Men. 

General Summary of Casualties in the Union 
Forces during the Chancellorsville (Ya.) 
Campaign, April 27— May 11, 1863. 

Officers and men killed 1,606 

Officers and men wounded 9,762 

Officers and men missing 5,919 



Abstracts of Reports 91 



Epitome of General Eooher's Plan for Chan^ 
cellorsville Campaign. 

Abstract from Report of Brigadier-General 
Warren, Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army 
of the Potomac. 

May 12, 1863. 
At the time operations resulting in the 
battle of Chancellorsville and those attend- 
ing it began, the enemy occupied in strong 
force the heights south of the Rappahannock 
River, from Skinker's Neck to Banks' Ford, 
having continnous lines of infantry parapets 
thronghont (a distance of abont twenty 
miles), his troops being disposed as to be 
readily concentrated on any threatened point. 
Interspersed along their lines of intrench- 
ments were battery epanlments advantageous- 
ly located for sweeping the hill slopes and 
bottom lands, on which our troops would 
have to march to assault. To turn the en- 
emy's right flank, and cross the river so as to 
gain the'heights below his intrenchments, re- 
quired a secret move of pontoon trains and 
artillery for more than twenty miles. Favor- 
able conditions of approach to the river from 
either side first present themselves about six 
miles by the road we had to take above Fred- 
ericksburg, at a place called Banks' Ford, 



92 Chancellor sville Campaign 

not then fordable. A place of such impor- 
tance was guarded by the enemy with the ut- 
most care. The obstacles here were so great 
to onr forcing a passage that the enemy fore- 
bore to plant a redoubt on the summit of the 
hill, thus, as it were, inviting us to try it. 

The next point on the enemy's left which 
offered a practicable approach to the stream 
was at the United States Mine Ford. 

The plan which the Commanding General 
(General Hooker) formed was kept a pro- 
found secret until its successful initiative 
disclosed it to friend and foe. Three corps — 
the Fifth, Eleventh and Twelfth— were put 
in motion April 27 to pass around the ene- 
my's left flank, crossing the Eappahannock 
at Kelly's Ford, a distance of thirty miles 
from Fredericksburg, thence to cross the 
Rapidan by Germarma and Ely's fords. The 
Rappahannock was successfully crossed by 
the morning of the 28th on pontoon bridges, 
with but slight opposition from a small ob- 
serving force. 

To divert the enemy's attention from the 
main movement, the passage of the Rappa- 
hannock was forced by the Sixth Corps (Gen- 
eral Sedgwick) opposite our left at a place 
Imown as Franklin's Crossing (on Bernard's 
Farm) on the night of April 28th. Tw^o 
pontoon bridges were constructed here by 
General Benham and the troops crossed in 
force during the day. 

At 5 p. M. on the 29th I set out, as direct- 
ed, for the United States Mine Ford, to as- 



Abstracts of Reports 93 

sist Major Spaulding, of the Engineer Brig- 
ade, if necessary, in throwing the pontoon 
bridge across at that place. On the morning 
of the 30th I reconnoitered the approaches 
to the crossing place. . . . The work on 
the road w^as pushed with all possible dis- 
patch, and by 1 p. m. was made practicable 
for artillery and pontoon wagons. By 3 p. M. 
the bridge was laid and the Second Corps 
(Couch) was crossing the river. Great was 
the enthusiasm of the men as they found we 
had turned these formidable intrenchments 
without losing a man, and gained the advan- 
tage of meeting the enemy in an open 
field. . . . 

The advantage of the initiative in a wood- 
ed country like this, obscuring all move- 
ments, was incalculable, and so far we had 
improved them. . . . On the morning of 
Saturday, May 2, the enemy, from the 
heights on our left, opened fire with his guns 
on our wagons in the open field near Chan- 
cellorsville. . . . He also made his appear- 
ance on the Plank road. . . . During the 
forenoon the enemy made several feints of at- 
tacks by a sudden rush upon our lines, draw- 
ing our fire, and getting the location of our 
line and its strength. These operations were 
repeated at intervals, gradually extending to 
our right. Later in the day the enemy be- 
came visible from our line to the right of 
Fairview, moving off still to our right. Gen- 
eral Sickles, with two of his divisions of the 
Third Corps, was sent out to make a demon- 



94 Chancellorsville Campaign 

stration against this body, and he succeeded 
in capturing numerous prisoners cut oS from 
the rear of Jackson. General Pleasonton, 
with his cavalry and artillery, also moved out 
in this same direction, following General 
Sickles, and the effect of this was to place 
a considerable force of ours between the two 
wings of the rebel army. . . . 

The flank move in our very presence which 
General Lee had decided upon, and the exe- 
cution of which he had intrusted to General 
Jackson, was one of great risk under almost 
any circumstances. On the present occasion 
it offered more advantages than it generally 
does. His army found its line of intrench- 
ments, on which so much labor had been be- 
stowed, and on the strength of which he had 
so far relied as to submit to the detaching 
of a large force under General Longstreet for 
operations south of James River, most unex- 
pectedly turned and rendered of no value, 
and he was in the presence of an army great- 
ly outnumbering his. Advancing, then, 
promptly as he had done on the 1st, he was 
prepared to dispute with us the possession 
of Banks' Ford, which would have brought 
the two wings of our army together and 
gained time. Its conception was well adapted 
to the situation, and its execution by General 
Jackson was excellent, though the lateness of 
the day in which his blow was struck gave 
him but little advantage of the maneuver. 



Abstracts of Reports 95 



Jackson's Flank Attack. 

Abstract from Eeport of Major-General Carl 
Schurz, Commanding Third Division, 
Eleventh Corps. 

Our right wing stood completely in the 
air . . . with no reliable cavalry to make 
reconnaissances, in a forest thick enough not 
to permit any view to the front, flank or rear, 
but not thick enough to prevent the approach 
of the enemy's troops. 

It was almost impossible to maneuver some 
of our regiments under fire of the enemy, 
hemmed in as they were on the old turnpike 
by embankments and rifle pits in front and 
thick woods in rear. . . . And this old 
Turnpike road w^as at the same time the only 
line of communication we had between the 
different parts of our front. Such was the 
position of the Eleventh Corps on May 2. 
... It was nearly 6 o'clock when we sud- 
denly heard a sharp artillery and musketry 
fire on our extreme right. I at once ordered 
all regiments within my reach to change 
front. To change the front of the regiments, 
deployed in line on the old Turnpike road, 
was extremely difficult. . . . The officers 
had hardly had time to give a command when 



96 Chancellor sville Campaign 

almost the whole of McLean^s* brigade, mixed 
up with a number of Von Gilsa'sf men, came 
rushing down the road in wild confusion, and 
the battery of the First Division broke in 
upon my right. The confused mass of guns, 
caissons, horses, and men broke lengthwise 
through the ranks of my regiments deployed 
on the line in the road. . . . The whole 
line deployed on the old turnpike, facing 
south, was rolled up and swept away in a 
moment. . . . The Twenty-sixth Wiscon- 
sin, flanked on both sides and exposed to a 
terrible fire in front, maintained the unequal 
contest for a considerable time, nor did it 
fall back until I ordered it to do so. . . . 
The enemy was now pouring in great force 
upon our right and left . . . and the position 
in and near the Church grove could no longer 
be held. . . . Behind the rifle-pit there 
was a confused mass of men belonging to all 
the divisions. . . . The enemy advancing 
on our right and left with rapidity the artil- 
lery ceased firing, and soon the rifle-pit was 
given up. . . . The retreat now became 
general, and the confusion increased as the 
troops marched through the woods. 

The losses suffered by my division in the 
action of May 2 were, in killed, wounded and 
missing, nine hundred and fifty-three. 



* McLean's and Von Gilsa's Brigades of First Division, 
t Howard's Eleventh Corps. 



Abstracts of Reports 97 



Gen. Rohert E. Lee's Report of Chancellors- 

ville Campaign. 

Headquarters Army of Nortliern Virginia, 
September 21, 1863. 

Geneeal : After the battle of Fredericks- 
burg tlie army remained encamped on the 
south side of the Rappahannock until the lat- 
ter part of April. The Federal army occu- 
pied the north side of the river opposite 
Fredericksburg, extending to the Potomac. 
Two brigades of (R. H.) Anderson's division 
— those of Generals (William) Mahone and 
(Carnot) Posey — were stationed near the 
United States Mine (or Bark Mill) Ford, 
and a third, under General (C. M.) Wilcox, 
guarded Banks' Ford. The cavalry was dis- 
tributed on both flanks, Fitzhugh Lee's brig- 
ade picketing the Rappahannock above the 
mouth of the Rapidan and W. H. F. Lee's 
near Port Royal. Hampton's brigade had 
been sent into the interior to recruit. Gen- 
eral (James) Longstreet, with two divisions 
of his corps, was detached for service south 
of ^ James River in February, and did not re- 
join the army until after the battle of Chan- 
cellorsville. 

With the exception of the engagement be- 
tween Fitzhugh Lee's brigade and the ene- 



98 Chancellor sville Campaign 

my's cavalry near Kelly's Ford on March 17, 
of which a brief report has been already for< 
warded to the Department, nothing of inter- 
est transpired during this period of inac- 
tivity. 

On April 14 intelligence was received that 
the enemy's cavalry w^as concentrating on the 
upper Eappahannock. Their efforts to es- 
tablish themselves on the south side of the 
river were successfully resisted by Fitzhugh 
Lee's brigade and two regiments of W. H. F. 
Lee's, the whole under the immediate com- 
mand of General Stuart. 

About the 21st, small bodies of infantry 
appeared at Kelly's Ford and the Eappahan- 
nock bridge, and almost at the same time a 
demonstration was made opposite Port Eoyal, 
where a party of infantry crossed the river 
about the 23 d. These movements were evi- 
dently intended to conceal the design of the 
enemy, but, taken in connection with the 
reports of scouts, indicated that the Federal 
army, now commanded by Major-General 
Hooker, was about to resume active opera- 
tions. 

At 5.30 A. M. on April 28 the enemy 
crossed the Eappahannock in boats near 
Fredericksburg, and, driving off the pickets 
on the river, proceeded to lay down a pontoon 
bridge a short distance below the mouth of 
Deep Eun. Later in the forenoon another 
bridge was constructed about a mile below 
the first. A considerable force crossed on 
these bridges during the day and was massed 



Abstracts of Reports 99 

out of view under the high banks of the 
river. The bridges, as well as the troops, 
were effectually protected from our artillery 
fire by the depth of the river bed and the 
narrowness of the stream, while the batteries 
on the opposite heights completely command- 
ed the wide plain between our lines and the 
river. As in the first battle of Fredericks- 
burg, it was thought best to select positions 
with a view to resist the advance of the en- 
emy, rather than incur the heavy loss that 
would attend any attempt to prevent his 
crossing. Our dispositions were accordingly 
made as on the former occasion. 

No demonstration was made opposite any 
other part of our lines at Fredericksburg, 
and the strength of the force that had crossed 
and its apparent indisposition to attack indi- 
cated that the principal effort of the enemy 
would be made in some other quarter. This 
impression was confirmed by intelligence re- 
ceived from General Stuart that a large body 
of infantry and artillery was passing up the 
river. During the forenoon of the 29th that 
officer reported that the enemy had crossed 
in force near Kelly's Ford on the preceding 
evening. Later in the day he announced 
that a heavy column was moving from 
Kelly's toward Germanna Ford, on the Eapi- 
dan, and another toward Ely's Ford, on that 
river. The routes they were pursuing after 
crossing the Eapidan converge near Chancel- 
lorsville, whence several roads lead to the 
rear of our position at Fredericksburg. 



100 Chancellorsville Campaign 

On the night of the 29th General Ander- 
son was directed to proceed toward Chancel- 
lorsville and dispose Wright^s brigade and 
the troops from the Bark Mill Ford to cover 
these roads. Arriving at Chancellorsville 
about midnight, he fonnd the commands of 
Generals Mahone and Posey already there, 
having been withdrawn from the Bark Mill 
Ford, with the exception of a small guard. 

Learning that the enemy had crossed the 
Eapidan and were approaching in strong 
force. General Anderson retired early on the 
morning of the 30th to the intersection of 
the Mine and Plank roads, near Tabernacle 
Church, and began to intrench himself. The 
enemy^s cavalry skirmished with the rear 
guard as he left Chancellorsville, but, being 
vigorously repulsed by Mahone's brigade, of- 
fered no further opposition to his march. 
Mahone was placed on the old turnpike, 
Wright and Posey on the Plank road. 

In the mean time General Stuart had been 
directed to endeavor to impede the progress 
of the column marching by way of Germanna 
Ford. Detaching W. H. F. Lee with his two 
regiments (the Ninth and Thirteenth Vir- 
ginia) to oppose the main body of the ene- 
my's cavalry, General Stuart crossed the 
Eapidan at Eaccoon Ford with Fitzhugh 
Lee's brigade on the night of the 29th. Halt- 
ing to give his men a few hours' repose, he 
ordered Colonel (Thomas H.) Owen wdth the 
Third Virginia Cavalr\^ to throw himself in 
front of the enemy, while the rest of the brig- 



Abstracts of Reports 101 

ade attacked his right flank at the Wilderness 
Tavern, between Germanna Ford and Chan- 
cellors ville. By this means the march of his 
column was delaj^ed until 12 m.^ when, learn- 
ing that the one from Ely's Ford had already 
reached Chancellorsville, General Stuart 
marched by Todd's Tavern toward Spottsyl- 
vania Court House to put himself in com- 
munication with the main body of the army, 
and Colonel Owen fell back upon General 
Anderson. 

The enemy in our front near Fredericks- 
burg continued inactive, and it was now ap- 
parent that the main attack would be made 
upon our flank and rear. It was, therefore, 
determined to leave sufiicient troops to hold 
our lines and with main body of the army 
to give battle to the approaching column. 
Early's division, of Jackson's corps, and 
Barksdale's brigade, of McLaws's division, 
with part of the Reserve Artillery, under 
General (W. N.) Pendleton, were intrusted 
with the defense of our position at Freder- 
icksburg, and, at midnight on the 30th, Gen- 
eral McLaws marched with the rest of 
his command toward Chancellorsville. Gen- 
eral Jackson followed at dawn next morning 
with the remaining divisions of his corps. 
He reached the position occupied by General 
Anderson at 8 a. m. and immediately began 
preparations to advance. 

At 11 A. M. the troops moved forward upon 
the Plank and old Turnpike roads, Ander- 
son, with the brigades of Wright and Posey, 



102 Chancellor sville Campaign 

leading on the former; McLaws, with his 
three brigades, preceded by Mahone's, on the 
latter. Generals Wilcox and Perry, of An- 
derson's division, co-operated with McLaws. 
Jackson's troops followed Anderson on the 
Plank road. Colonel Alexander's battalion 
of artillery accompanied the advance. The 
enemy was soon encountered on both roads, 
and heavy skirmishing with infantry and ar- 
tillery ensued, our troops pressing steadily 
forward. A strong attack upon General Mc- 
Laws was repulsed with spirit by Semmes's 
brigade, and General Wright, by direction of 
General Anderson, diverging to the left of 
the Plank road, marched by way of the un- 
finished railroad from Fredericksburg to 
Gordonsville and turned the enemy's right. 
His whole line thereupon retreated rapidly, 
vigorously pursued by our troops until they 
arrived within about one mile of Chancel- 
lorsville. Here the enemy had assumed a 
position of great natural strength, surround- 
ed on all sides by a dense forest filled with a 
tangled undergrowth, in the midst of which 
breastworks of logs had been constructed, 
with trees felled in front, so as to form an 
almost impenetrable abatis. His artillery 
swept the few narrow roads by which Jiis posi- 
tion could be approached from the front, and 
commanded the adjacent woods. The left of 
his line extended from Chancellorsville to- 
w?ird the Eappahannock, covering the Bark 
Mill Ford, where he communicated with the 
north bank of the river by a pontoon bridge. 



Abstracts of Reports 103 

His right stretched westward along the Ger- 
manna Ford road more than two miles. Dark- 
ness was approaching before the strength and 
extent of his line could be ascertained, and, 
as the nature of the country rendered it 
hazardous to attack by night, our troops were 
halted and formed in line of battle in front 
of Chancellorsville, at right angles to the 
Plank road, extending on the right to the 
Mine road and to the left in the direction of 
the Catharine Furnace. Colonel (William 
C.) Wickham with the Fourth Virginia Cav- 
alry and Colonel Owen's regiment was sta- 
tioned between the Mine road and the Eap- 
pahannock. The rest of the cavalry was upon 
our left flank. 

It was evident that a direct attack upon 
the enemy would be attended with great dif- 
ficulty and loss, in view of the strength of his 
position and his superiority of numbers. It 
was, therefore, resolved to endeavor to turn 
his right flank and gain his rear, leaving a 
force m front of him to hold him in check 
and conceal the movement. The execution 
of this plan was intrusted to Lieutenant- 
General Jackson with his three divisions. 
The commands of Generals McLaws and An- 
derson, with the exception of Wilcox's brig- 
ade, which durino; the night had been ordered 
back to Banks' Ford, remained in front of 
the enemy. 

Early on the mornin.s^ of the 2d, General 
Jackson marched by the Furnace and Brock 
roads, his movement being effectually cov- 



104 Chancellorsville Campaign 

ered by Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry, under Gen- 
eral Stuart in person. As the rear of the 
train was passing the furnace, a large force 
of the enemy advanced from Chancellorsville 
and attempted its capture. General Jackson 
had left the Twenty-third Georgia Regiment, 
under Colonel (E. F.) Best, at this point to 
guard his flank, and upon the approach of the 
enemy. Lieutenant- Colonel (J. T.) Brown, 
whose artillery was passing at the time, 
placed a battery in position to aid in checking 
his advance. A small number of men who 
were marching to join their commands, in- 
cluding Captain (W. S.) Moore, with two 
companies of the Fourteenth Tennessee Regi- 
ment, of Archer^s brigade, reported to 
Colonel Brown and supported his guns. The 
enemy was kept back by this small force until 
the train had passed, but his superior num- 
bers enabled him subsequently to surround 
and capture the greater part of the Twenty- 
third Georgia Regiment. General Anderson 
was directed to send a brigade to resist the 
further progress of this column, and detached 
General Posey for that purpose. General 
Posey became warmly engaged with a supe- 
rior force, but, being reinforced by General 
(A. R.) Wright, the enemy's advance was 
arrested. 

After a long and fatiguing march. Gen- 
eral Jackson's leading division, under Gen- 
eral Rodes, reached the old turnpike, about 
three miles in rear of Chancellorsville, at 
4 p. M. As the different divisions arrived 



Abstracts of Reports 105 

they were formed at right angles to the road 
— Eodes in front; Trimble's division, under 
Brigadier-General (E. E.) Colston, in the 
second, and A. P. HilFs division in the third 
line. 

At 6 p. M. the advance was ordered. The 
enemy were taken by surprise, and fled after 
a brief resistance. General Eodes's men 
pushed forward with great vigor and enthusi- 
asm, followed closely by the second and third 
lines. Position after position was carried, 
the guns captured, and every effort of the 
enemy to rally defeated by the impetuous 
rush of our troops. In the ardor of pursuit 
through the thick and tangled woods the first 
and second lines at last became mingled and 
moved on together as one. The enemy made 
a stand at a line of breastworks across the 
road, at the house of Melzie Chancellor, but 
the troops of Eodes and Colston dashed over 
the intrenchments together, and the flight 
and pursuit were resumed, and continued 
until our advance was arrested by the abatis 
in front of the line of works near the central 
position at Chancellorsville. It was now 
dark, and General Jackson ordered the third 
line, imder General (A. P.) Hill, to advance 
to the front and relieve the troops of Eodes 
and Colston, who were completely blended 
and in such disorder, from their rapid ad- 
vance through intricate woods and over 
broken ground, that it was necessary to re- 
form them. As Hill's men moved forward, 
General Jackson, with his staff and escort. 



106 Chancellor sville Campaign 

returning from the extreme front, met his 
skirmishers advancing, and in the obscurity 
of the night were mistaken for the enemy and 
fired upon. Capt. (J. K.) Boswell, chief en- 
gineer of the corps, and several others were 
killed and a number wounded. General Jack- 
son himself received a severe injury and was 
borne from the field. The command devolved 
upon Major-General Hill, whose division, un- 
der General Heth, was advanced to the line 
of intrenchments which had been reached by 
Eodes and Colston. A furious fire of artil- 
lery was opened upon them by the enemy, 
under cover of which his infantry advanced 
to the attack. They were handsomely re- 
pulsed by the Fifty-fifth Virginia Eegiment, 
under Colonel (Francis) Mallory, who was 
killed while bravely leading his men. Gen- 
eral Hill was soon afterward disabled, and 
Major-General Stuart, who had been directed 
by General Jackson to seize the road to Ely's 
Ford, in rear of the enemy, was sent for to 
take command. At this point the right of 
Hill's division was attacked by the column of 
the enemy already mentioned as having pen- 
etrated to the furnace, which had been re- 
called to Chancellorsville to avoid being cut 
off by the advance of Jackson. This attack 
was gallantly met and repulsed by the Eigh- 
teenth and Twenty-eighth and a portion of 
the Thirty-third ISTorth Carolina regiments. 
Lane's bri grade. 

Upon General Stuart's arrival, soon after- 
ward, the command was turned over to him 



Abstracts of Reports 107 

by General Hill. He immediately proceeded 
to reconnoiter the ground and make himself 
acquainted with the disposition of the troops. 
The darkness of the night and the difficulty 
of moving through the woods and under- 
growth rendered it advisable to defer further 
operations until morning, and the troops 
rested on their arms in line of battle. Colonel 
(S.) Crutchfield, chief of artillery of the 
corps, was severely wounded, and Colonel 
(E. P.) Alexander, senior artillery officer 
present, was engaged during the entire night 
in selecting positions for our batteries. 

As soon as the sound of cannon gave no- 
tice of Jackson's attack on the enemy's right, 
our troops in front of Chancellorsville were 
ordered to press him strongly on the left, to 
prevent reinforcements being sent to the 
point assailed. They were directed not to 
attack in force unless a favorable opportunity 
should present itself, and, while continuing 
to cover the roads leading from their respec- 
tive positions toward Chancellorsville, to in- 
cline to the left so as to connect with Jack- 
son's right as he closed upon the center. 
These orders were well executed, our troops 
advancing up to the enemy's intrenchments, 
while several batteries played with good ef- 
fect upon his lines until prevented by the 
increasing darkness. 

Early on the morning of the 3d, General 
Stuart renewed the attack upon the enemy, 
who had strensrthened his right during the 
night with additional breastworks, while a 



108 Chancellor sville Campaign 

large number of guns, protected by intrench- 
ments, were posted so as to sweep the woods 
through which our troops had to advance. 
HilFs division was in front, with Colston in 
the second line and Rodes in the third. The 
second and third lines soon advanced to the 
support of the first, and the whole became 
hotly engaged. The breastworks at which 
the attack was suspended the preceding even- 
ing were carried by assault under a terrible 
fire of musketry and artillery. In rear of 
these breastworks was a barricade, from which 
the enemy was quickly driven. The troops 
on the left of the Plank road, pressing 
through the woods, attacked and broke the 
next linC;, while those on the right bravely 
assailed the extensive earthworks, behind 
which the enemy's artillery was posted. Three 
times were these works carried, and as often 
were the brave assailants compelled to aban- 
don — twice by the retirement of the troops 
on their left, who fell back after a gallant 
struggle with superior numbers, and once by 
a movement of the enemy on their right, 
caused by the advance of General Anderson. 
The left, being reinforced, finally succeeded 
in driving back the enemy, and the artillery 
under Lieutenant-Colonel (T. H.) Carter 
and (H. P.) Jones being thrown forward to 
occupy favorable positions secured by the 
advance of the infantry, began to play with 
great precision and effect. Anderson, in the 
mean time, pressed gallantly forward directly 
upon Chancellorsville, his right resting upon 



Abstracts of Reports 109 

the Plank road and his left extending toward 
the furnace, while McLaws made a strong 
demonstration to the right of the road. As 
the troops advancing upon the enemy's front 
and right converged upon his central posi- 
tion, Anderson effected a junction with Jack- 
son's corps, and the whole line pressed irre- 
sistibly on. The enemy was driven from all 
his fortified positions, with heavy loss in 
killed, wounded, and prisoners, and retreated 
toward the Eappahannock. By 10 a. m. we 
were in full possession of the field. 

The troops, having become somewhat scat- 
tered by the difficulties of the ground and the 
ardor of the contest, were immediately re- 
formed preparatory to renewing the attack. 
The enemy had withdrawn to a strong posi- 
tion nearer the Eappahannock, which he had 
previously fortified. His superiority of num- 
bers, the unfavorable nature of the ground, 
which was densely wooded, and the condition 
of our troops after the arduous and sanguin- 
ary conflict in which they had been engaged, 
rendered great caution necessary. Our prep- 
arations were just completed when further 
operations were arrested by intelligence re- 
ceived from Fredericksburg. 

General Early had been instructed, m 
event of the enemy withdrawing from his 
front and moving up the river, to join the 
main body of the army with so much of his 
command as could be spared from the de- 
fense of his lines. This order was repeated 
on the 2d, but by a misapprehension on the 



110 Chancellor sville Campaign 

part of the officer conveying it, General Early 
was directed to move "unconditionally. Leav- 
ing Hays's brigade and one regiment of 
Baxksdale's at Fredericksburg, and directing 
a part of General Pendleton's artillery to be 
sent to the rear, in compliance with the order 
delivered to him. General Early moved with 
the rest of his command toward Chancellors- 
ville. As, soon as his withdrawal was per- 
ceived, the enemy began to give evidence of 
an intention to advance, but the mistake in 
the transmission of the order being corrected, 
General Early returned to his original posi- 
tion. 

The line to be defended by Barksdale's 
brigade extended from the Eappahannock, 
above Fredericksburg, to the rear of Howi- 
son's house, a distance of more than two 
miles. The artillery was posted along the 
heights in rear of the town. 

Before dawn on the morning of the 3d, 
General Barksdale reported to General Early 
that the enemy had occupied Fredericksburg 
in large force and laid down a bridge at the 
town. Hays^s brigade was sent to his sup- 
port, and placed on his extreme left, with 
the exception of one regiment on the right 
of his line behind Howison's house. Seven 
companies of the Twenty-first Mississippi 
Regiment were posted by General Barksdale 
between the Marye house and the Planl?: road, 
the Eighteenth and the three other companies 
of the Twenty-first occupied the Telegraph 
road at the foot of Marye's Hill, the two re- 



Abstracts of Reports 111 

maining regiments of the brigade being far- 
ther to the right, on the hills near Howison's 
house. The enemy made a demonstration 
against the extreme right, which was easily 
repulsed by General Early. Soon afterward 
a column moved from Fredericksburg along 
the river bank, as if to gain the heights on 
the extreme left, which commanded those im- 
mediately in rear of the town. This attempt 
was foiled by General Hays and the arrival 
of General Wilcox from Banks' Ford, who 
deployed a few skirmishers on the hill near 
Taylor's house, and opened on the enemy 
with a section of artillery. Very soon the 
enemy advanced in large force against 
Marye's and the hills to the right and left of 
it. Two assaults were gallantly repulsed by 
Barksdale's men and the artillery. After the 
second, a flag of truce was sent from the 
town to obtain permission to provide for the 
wounded. 

Three heavy lines advanced immediately 
upon the return of the flag and renewed the 
attack. They were bravely repulsed on the 
right and left, but the small force at the foot 
of Marye's Hill, overpowered by more than 
ten times their number, was captured after 
a heroic resistance and the hill carried. Eight 
pieces of the artillery were taken on Marye's 
and the adjacent heights. The remainder of 
Barksdale's brigade, together with that of 
General Hays and the artillery on the right, 
retired down the Telegraph road. The suc- 
cess of the enemy enabled him to threaten 



112 Chancellorsville Campaign 

our communications by moving down the 
Telegraph road, or to come upon our rear 
at Chancellorsville by the Plank road. He 
at first advanced on the former, but was 
checked by General Early, who had halted 
the commands of Barksdale and Hays, with 
the artillery, about two miles from Marye's 
Hill, and reinforced them with three regi- 
ments of Gordon^s brigade. The enemy then 
began to advance up the Plank road, his 
progress being gallantly disputed by the brig- 
ade of General Wilcox, who had moved from 
Banks' Ford as rapidly as possible to the 
assistance of General Barksdale, but arrived 
too late to take part in the action. General 
Wilcox fell back slowly until he reached Sa- 
lem Church, on the Plank road, about five 
miles from Fredericksburg. 

Information of the state of affairs in our 
rear having reached Chancellorsville, as al- 
ready stated, General McLaws, with his three 
brigades and one of General Anderson's, was 
ordered to reinforce General Wilcox. He ar- 
rived at Salem Church early in the after- 
noon, where he found General Wilcox in line 
of battle, with a large force of the enemy — 
consisting, as was reported, of one army 
corps and part of another, under Major-Gen- 
eral Sedgwick — in his front. The brigades 
of Kershaw and Wofford were placed on the 
right of Wilcox, those of Semmes and Ma- 
hone on his left. The enemy's artillery played 
vigorously upon our position for some time, 
when his infantry advanced in three strong 



Abstracts of Reports 113 

lines, the attack being directed mainly 
against G-eneral Wilcox, but partially involv- 
ing the brigades on his left. The assault was 
met with the utmost firmness, and after a 
fierce struggle the first line was repulsed with 
gx^eat slaughter. The second then came for- 
ward, but immediately broke under the close 
and deadly fire which it encountered, and the 
whole mass fled in confusion to the rear. 
They were pursued by the brigades of Wilcox 
and Semmes, which advanced nearly a mile, 
when they were halted to re-form in the pres- 
ence of the enemy's reserve, which now ap- 
peared in large force. It being quite dark, 
General Wilcox deemed it imprudent to push 
the attack with his small numbers, and re- 
tired to his original position, the enemy mak- 
ing no attempt to follow. 

The next morning General Early advanced 
along the Telegraph road, and recaptured 
Marye's and the adjacent hills without diffi- 
culty, thus gaining the rear of the enemy's 
left. He then proposed to General McLaws 
that a simultaneous attack should be made 
by their respective commands, but the latter 
officer not deeming his force adequate to as- 
sail the enemy in front, the proposition was 
not carried into effect. 

In the mean time the enemy had so 
strengthened his position near Chancellors- 
ville that it was deemed inexpedient to assail 
it with less than our whole force, which could 
not be concentrated until we were relieved 
from the danger that menaced our rear. It 



114 Chancellorsville Campaign 

was accordingly resolved still further to rein- 
force the troops in front of General Sedg- 
wick, in order, if possible, to drive him across 
the Rappahannock. 

Accordingly, on the 4th, General Anderson 
was directed to proceed with his remaining 
three brigades to Join General McLaws, the 
three divisions of Jackson's corps holding 
onr position at Chancellorsville. Anderson 
reached Salem Church about noon, and was 
directed to gain the left flank of the enemy 
and effect a junction with Early. McLaws's 
troops were disposed as on the previous day, 
with orders to hold the enemy in front, and 
to push forward his right brigades as soon 
as the advance of Anderson and Early should 
be perceived, so as to connect with them and 
complete the continuity of our line. Some 
delay occurred in getting the troops into po- 
sition, owing to the broken and irregular na- 
ture of the ground and the difficulty of ascer- 
taining the disposition of the enemy's forces. 
The attack did not begin "until 6 p. m., when 
Anderson and Early moved forward and 
drove General Sedgwick's troops rapidly be- 
fore them across the Plank road in the direc- 
tion of the Rappahannock. The speedy ap- 
proach of darkness prevented General Mc- 
Laws from perceiving the success of the at- 
tack until the enemy began to recross the 
river a short distance below Banks' Ford, 
where he had laid one of his pontoon bridges. 
His right brigades, under Kershaw and Wof- 
ford, advanced through the woods in the di- 



Abstracts of Reports 115 

rection of the firing, but the retreat was so 
rapid that they could only join in the pur- 
suit. A dense fog settled over the field, in- 
creasing the obscurity, and rendering great 
caution necessary to avoid collision between 
our own troops. Their movements were con- 
sequently slow. General Wilcox, with Ker- 
shaw's brigade and two regiments of his own, 
accompanied by a battery, proceeded nearly 
to the river, capturing a number of prisoners 
and inflicting great damage upon the enemy. 
General McLaws also directed Colonel 
(E. P.) Alexander's artillery to fire upon the 
locality of the enemy's bridge, which was 
done with good efl^ect. 

The next morning it was found that Gen- 
eral Sedgwick had made good his escape and 
removed his bridges. Fredericksburg was 
also evacuated, and our rear no longer threat- 
ened ; but as General Sedgwick had it in his 
power to recross, it was deemed best to leave 
General Early, with his division and Barks- 
dale's brigade, to hold our lines as before, 
McLaws and Anderson being directed to re- 
turn to Chan cellorsvi lie. They reached their 
destination during the afternoon, in the 
midst of a violent storm, which continued 
throughout the night and most of the follow- 
ing day. 

Preparations were made to assail the en- 
emy's works at daylight on the 6th, but on 
advancing our skirmishers it was found that 
under cover of the storm and darkness of the 
night he had retreated over the river. 



116 Chancellor sville Campaign 

A detachment was left to guard the battle- 
field while the wounded were being removed 
and the captured property collected. The 
rest of the army returned to its former posi- 
tion. 

Particulars of these operations will be 
found in the reports of the several command- 
ing officers, which are herewith transmitted. 
They will show more fully than my limits 
will suffer me to do the dangers and difficul- 
ties which, under God^s blessing, were sur- 
mounted by the fortitude and valor of our 
army. The conduct of the troops cannot be 
too highly praised. Attacldng largely su- 
perior numbers in strongly intrenched posi- 
tions, their heroic courage overcame obstacles 
of nature and art, and achieved a triumph 
most honorable to our arms. 

I commend to the particular notice of the 
Department the brave officers and men men- 
tioned by their superiors for extraordinary 
daring and merit, whose names I am unable 
to enumerate here. Among them will be 
found some who have passed, by a glorious 
death, beyond the reach of praise, but the 
memory of those whose virtues and devoted 
patriotism will ever be cherished by their 
grateful countrymen. 

The returns of the medical director will 
show the extent of our loss, which, from the 
nature of the circumstances attending the en- 
gagements, could not be otherwise than se- 
vere. Many valuable officers and men were 
killed or wounded in the faithful discharge 



Abstracts of Reports 117 

of duty. Among the former, Brigadier-Gen- 
eral Paxton fell while leading his brigade 
with conspicuous courage in the assault on 
the enemy's works at Chancellorsville. 

The gallant Brigadier- General ISTichoUs 
lost a leg. 

Brigadier-General McGowan was severely 
and Brigadier-Generals Heth and Pender 
were slightly wounded in the same engage- 
ment. The latter officer led his brigade to 
the attack under a destructive fire, bearing 
the colors of a regiment in his own hands up 
to and over the intrenchments with the most 
distinguished gallantry. 

General Hoke received a painful wound in 
the action near Fredericksburg. 

The movement by which the enemy's posi- 
tion was turned and the fortune of the day 
decided was conducted by the lamented Lieu- 
tenant- General Jackson, who, as has already 
been stated, was severely wounded near the 
close of the engagement Saturday evening. 
I do not propose here to speak of the charac- 
ter of this illustrious man, since removed 
from the scene of his eminent usefulness by 
the hand of an inscrutable but all-wise Provi- 
dence. I nevertheless desire to pay the trib- 
ute of my admiration to the matchless energy 
and slnll that marked this last act of his life, 
forming, as it did, a worthy conclusion of 
that long series of splendid achievements 
which won for him the lasting love and grati- 
tude of his country. 

Maj.-Gen. A. P. Hill was disabled soon 



118 Chancellor sville Campaign 

after assuming command, but did not leave 
the field until the arrival of Major- General 
Stuart. The latter officer ably discharged the 
difficult and responsible duties which he was 
unexpectedly called to perform. Assuming 
the command late in the night, at the close 
of a fierce engagement, and in the immediate 
presence of the enemy, necessarily ignorant 
in a great measure of the disposition of the 
troops and of the plans of those who had 
preceded him. General Stuart exhibited great 
energy, promptness, and intelligence. Dur- 
ing the continuance of the engagement, the 
next day, he conducted the operations on the 
left with distinguished capacity and vigor, 
stimulating and cheering the troops by the 
example of his own coolness and daring. 

While it is impossible to mention all who 
were conspicuous in the several engagements, 
it will not be considered an invidious distinc- 
tion to say that General Jackson, after he 
was wounded, in expressing the satisfaction 
he derived from the conduct of his whole 
command, commended to my particular at- 
tention the services of Brigadier-General 
(now Major-General) Rodes and his gallant 
division. 

Major-General Early performed the im- 
portant and responsible duty intrusted to him 
in a manner which reflected credit upon him- 
self and his command. Ma j. -Gen. E. H. 
Anderson was also distinguished for the 
promptness, courage, and skill with which he 
and his division executed every order, and 



Abstracts of Reports 119 

Brigadier-General (now Major-General) 
Wilcox is entitled to especial praise for the 
judgment and bravery displayed in impeding 
the advance of General Sedgwick toward 
Chancellorsville, and for the gallant and suc- 
cessful stand at Salem Church. 

To the skilful and efficient management of 
the artillery the successful issue of the con- 
test is in great measure due. The ground 
was not favorable for its employment, but 
every suitable position was taken with alac- 
rity, and the operations of the infantry sup- 
ported and assisted with a spirit and courage 
not second to their own. It bore a prominent 
part in the final assault which ended in driv- 
ing the enemy from the field of Chancellors- 
ville, silencing his batteries, and by a de- 
structive enfilade fire upon his works opened 
the way for the advance of our troo^os. 

Colonels Crutchfield, Alexander, and 
(R. L.) Walker, and Lieutenant-Colonels 
(J. T.) Brown, (T. H.) Carter, and (E. S.) 
Andrews, with the officers and men of their 
commands, are mentioned as deserving espe- 
cial commendation. The batteries under 
General Pendleton also acted with great gal- 
lantry. 

The cavalry of the army at the time of 
these operations was much reduced. To its 
vigilance and energy we were indebted for 
timely inform.ation of the enemy's move- 
ments before the battle, and for impeding 
his march to Chancellorsville. It guarded 
both flanks of the army during the battle at 



120 Chancellor sville Campaign 

that place, and a portion of it, as has been 
already stated, rendered valuable service in 
covering the march of Jackson to the enem/s 
rear. 

The horse artillery accompanied the infan- 
try, and participated with credit to itself in 
the engagement. The nature of the country 
rendered it impossible for the cavalry to do 
more. 

When the enemy's infantry passed the 
Eappahannock at Kelly's Ford, his cavalry, 
under General Stoneman, also crossed in 
large force, and proceeded through Culpeper 
County toward Gordonsville, for the purpose 
of cutting the railroad to Eichmond. Gen- 
eral Stuart had nothing to oppose this move- 
ment but two regiments of Brig.-Gen. W. 
H. F. Lee's brigade (the Ninth and Thir- 
teenth Virginia Cavalry). General Lee fell 
back before the overwhelming numbers of 
the enemy, and, after holding the railroad 
bridge over the Eapidan during May 1, 
burned the bridge and retired to Gordons- 
ville at night. The enemy avoided Gordons- 
ville, and reached Louisa Court House, on 
the Central Eailroad, which he proceeded to 
break up. Dividing his force, a part of it 
also cut the Eichmond and Fredericksburg 
Eailroad, and part proceeded to Columbia, 
on the James Eiver and Kanawha Canal, 
with the desisrn of destroying the aqueduct at 
that place. The small command of General 
Lee exerted itself vigorously to defeat this 
purpose, and the canal was saved from in- 



Abstracts of Reports 121 

jury. The details of his operations will be 
found in the accompanying memorandum, 
and are creditable to officers and men. 

The loss of the enemy in the battle of 
Chancellorsville and the other engagements 
was severe. His dead and a large number of 
wounded were left on the field. About five 
thousand prisoners, exclusive of the wounded, 
were taken, and thirteen pieces of artillery, 
nineteen thousand five hundred stand of 
arms, seventeen colors, and a large quantity 
of ammunition fell into our hands. 

To the members of my staff I am indebted 
for assistance in observing the movements of 
the enemy, posting troops, and conveying or- 
ders. On so extended and varied a field all 
were called into requisition, and all evinced 
the greatest energy and zeal. 

The medical director of the army. Surgeon 
(L.) Guild, with the officers of his depart- 
ment, were untiring in their attention to the 
wounded. 

Lieutenant-Colonel (J. L.) Corley, chief 
quartermaster, took charge of the disposition 
and safety of the trains of the army. 

Lieutenant-Colonel (Eobert G-.) Cole, 
chief commissary of subsistence, and Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel (Biscoe G.) Baldwin, chief of 
ordnance, were everywhere on the field at- 
tending to the wants of their departments. 

General Chilton, chief of staff, Lieutenant- 
Colonel (E.) Murray, Major (Henry E.) 
Peyton, and Captain '(H. E.) Young, of the 
Adjutant and Inspector General's Depart- 



122 Chancellorsville Campaign 

ment, were active in seeing to the execution 
of orders; Lieutenant-Colonel (William P.) 
Smith and Captain (Samuel E.) Johnston, 
of the engineers^ in reconnoitering the enemy 
and constructing batteries; Colonel (Armis- 
tead li.) Long in posting troops and artillery. 
Majors (Walter H.) Taylor, (T. M. R.) 
Talcott, (Charles) Marshall, and (Charles 
S.) Venahle were engaged night and day in 
watching the operations, carrying orders, etc. 
Eespectfully submitted. 

E. E. Lee, 
General. 
General S. Cooper, 
Adjt. and Insp. Gen. C. S. Army, Rich- 
mond, Va. 



Abstracts of Reports 123 



Forces Under General Lee in Chancellors- 
mile Campaign. 

Abstract from Eeturns of the Army of 
Northern Virginia,, Under General R. E. 
Lee, C. S. Army, for Month of March, 
1863, Headquarters Fredericksburg, Va. 
(Latest Eeport rrior to Opening of the 
Campaign) . 

FIRST CORPS. 

Anderson's Division, effective totaL . . 7,665 
McLaws's division, effective total 7,984 

SECOND CORPS. 

A. P. HilFs division, effective total. . .10,601 
Eodes's division (formerly D. H. 

HilFs), effective total 8,964 

Early's division, effective total 7,638 

Colston's division (formerlv Trim- 

'ble's), effective total ". 6,130 

CAVALRY. 

6,509. 
Guns, 12. 

ARTILLERY. 

(Report February, 1865.) 

Officers and men, 4,064. 

Guns, 264. 

Report of Kille>d, Wounded and Missing, 
Chancellorsville Campaign, by Surgeon- 



124 Chancellor sville Campaign 

General Guild, Medical Director, C. S. 
Army. 

Killed 1,581 

Wounded 8,700 

Missing 1,803 

(Taken from Eeports of commanders of bri- 
gades and regiments.) 



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